Life sentence for murder and dismemberment | News, Sports, Jobs

LISBON — Christopher Morrison faced sentencing Tuesday morning — a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 25 years — for murdering and dismembering his wife and the mother of his three children just a week before Christmas last year in Liverpool Township.

The murder investigation revealed that Tiffany Morrison left him, but on December 18, 2023, he made sure she never left the Shadyside Road house again.

“My daughter was trying to escape from this monster” Tiffany’s mother, Ruth Mahley, said this while addressing Columbiana County Magistrate Court Judge Megan Bickerton.

She described how her life was shattered when she learned what had happened to her daughter, how Tiffany was shot and killed by the man who was supposed to love and protect her, how he stuffed her remains into trash bags to rot.

She also highlighted how Christopher Morrison, 35, continued to post on social media after killing Tiffany, 34, describing himself as single and posting what he wanted for Christmas for his family.

He took the mother of his children, she said, and “Their lives will be changed forever.”

Tiffany will never see her children go to prom, she will miss graduation, she will never see them walk down the aisle and she will never be able to hold her grandchildren. She will never celebrate Christmas, or a birthday, or a holiday again.

Mahley said she fears for her grandchildren, herself and her entire family. She said she no longer feels safe picking up her grandchildren, who still live in the Shadyside Road home with their paternal grandmother.

“Every time I come to that house, I think about what he did to my daughter. My heart is heavy.” she said.

Mahley told the judge she wanted the death penalty for him, but that he should at least face life in prison and never see his children again. She asked for justice for her daughter.

“I am truly sorry for your loss. I hope this little moment of closure can bring you peace,” Bickerton told Tiffany’s family.

Bickerton followed the state’s sentencing recommendation: 20 years to life for aggravated murder and murder, three mandatory years for a firearm specification, 12 months for the two counts of third-degree tampering with evidence and 12 months for the fifth-degree aggravated abuse of a corpse, bringing the total to 25 years to life. A 12-month sentence for the possession of criminal tools charge will be served concurrently with all other charges. She also designated Morrison as a violent offender, meaning that if he is ever released from prison, he will have to register with law enforcement so they have his address, place of employment and the license plates of each vehicle. He received credit for 273 days already served.

Christopher Morrison has been behind bars since his arrest on Dec. 20, 2023, the day Liverpool Township police found Tiffany’s remains after executing a search warrant at the residence.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Ryan Weikart, assisted by Deputy County Attorney Steve Yacovone, said this was actually a domestic violence case. He described the defendant as a narcissist who wanted to get her way. He chose to kill her rather than let her go. They were having marital problems and he tried to manipulate her into staying, using financial obstacles and even trying to turn the children against her.

Weikart read a text Tiffany sent to someone on December 14, saying “I think Tiffany should have the last word.”

In the text, she talked about how they had been through a lot and grown, but said “I’m tired of being underestimated and being put down.”

She talked about her long hours at work, then all she did was do the laundry, run around with the kids, cook dinner and it was never enough.

“I really tried, but I’m done.” she wrote.

She wanted to have her own place to live and she wanted to see her children equally. She wasn’t looking to abandon them or take them away from her.

“I just want to move on and be civilized” she wrote.

Defense attorney Terry Grenga addressed the court and asked the judge to follow the agreed recommendation.

“What we know is that we can’t go back. My client is extremely sorry for what happened,” she said, calling the situation tragic.

She also acknowledged that Tiffany wanted to leave her client, that she wanted to spend time with her children and start a new life. That never happened.

Christopher Morrison said he was very sorry for the things that happened.

“I let all common sense and reason leave me,” he said.

He said he still loved his wife, that she was his everything.

“I will be sorry for this until my last breath.” he said.

Speaking to him, Bickerton said he may have genuine remorse, but she didn’t know that. What she does know is what she saw in the video interview with Liverpool Township police. He said he didn’t know where his wife was, that he belittled her, that he bad-mouthed her to his children and that he spoke ill of her.

“Is this how you treat the people you love?” she asked.

She noted that his thinking after killing her was not “what have I done?” but “how can I get out of this?” She agreed with the prosecution that he was narcissistic.

After the hearing, Weikart thanked the Liverpool Township Police Department and members of the Major Crimes Task Force who assisted in the investigation, including the county sheriff’s office, Salem police, East Palestine police and the county’s Special Response Team.

“Without their hard work, we would never have been able to solve this problem,” he said.

Weikart was pleased with the result, adding “As the judge said, this resolution provides closure and does not force the family to go to trial.” He added that there would also be no appeal since the sentence had been jointly recommended.

“I am convinced that the accused will spend the rest of his life in prison,” he said.

As for the family, he said, “I sympathize with them and sincerely pray that these children will receive the guidance and support they need in the future.”

At the time of their mother’s death, they were 9, 13 and 14 years old.

Weikart gave more details about what happened, saying the investigation showed Christopher Morrison shot Tiffany in the head in the basement shower, leaving a hole that he apparently tried to cover with putty. A hook had been placed over the spot.

The investigation began on the morning of December 20, when a friend of Christopher Morrison contacted police. Liverpool Township police and members of the Major Crimes Task Force obtained a search warrant and conducted surveillance of the home. Christopher Morrison left the home and Chief Jared Kinemond initiated a traffic stop. The search then began, with the basement shower hole plugged and the projectile found behind the wall. When Christopher Morrison was arrested, he had a 9mm pistol. Inside the shed on the property, investigators found seven trash bags stuffed into a roll of carpet with a blue tarp over it. Six of the bags contained Tiffany’s remains and one contained a jigsaw with blades and a box for the jigsaw.

During the investigation, Weikart said Christopher Morrison had a receipt from Pet Supplies Plus in Steubenville for the morning of December 20, 2023. The barcode on the jigsaw was checked and that model was only found at Harbor Freight, which was in the same plaza as Pet Supplies Plus. Video from Walmart, also in the plaza, showed the defendant entering Harbor Freight at 9:03 a.m., with the receipt from Pet Supplies Plus dated 9:23 a.m. At Walmart, he purchased rubbing alcohol, trash bags and paper towels. Police found a new lock on the shed.

Columbiana County District Attorney Vito J. Abruzzino issued a news release after the sentencing and noted that Morrison’s parole hearing eligibility will not occur until 2050.

He praised the work of Kinemond and Detective Robert Ramsey of the Liverpool Township Police Department and their officers, the Columbiana County Major Crimes Task Force, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Columbiana County Coroner’s Office and the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation into this case. It was a comprehensive investigation that resulted in a conviction on all counts.

“The Columbiana County Major Crimes Task Force is a critical tool to mobilize every possible county and state resource to help solve violent crimes. I am proud to announce that every police department in the county is now participating in the task force. Since 2021, when they are activated to assist with a case, we have a 100% conviction rate,” said Abruzzino.