Christopher J. Newton was born on November 13, 1969, the youngest child in a troubled Ohio household. He was one of six children ,including five sons and one daughter, raised by parents Jean and Lynn Newton. Their relationship was marked by arguments and emotional instability, with both parents often absent due to conflicting work shifts. His father was strict and reportedly abusive, physically and, as Newton later claimed, sexually. At times, he would deny the allegations, making his past difficult to fully verify. Newton also reported being sexually assaulted by a brother at age five and by a neighbor when he was eleven.

He was labeled “different” early on by his siblings and was often left behind during family vacations. He acquired the nickname “Pyro” after setting the family home on fire at the age of five or six, forcing them to relocate for six months. As a child and teenager, Newton began exhibiting troubling behavior: theft, sexual misconduct, arson, and early drug and alcohol abuse. He was eventually institutionalized at Berea Children’s Home, where he was identified as a high-risk youth with escalating behavioral issues.

By his teens, Newton claimed to have been involved in satanic cults. At age 19, he was arrested in Florida for burglary and grand theft. This arrest marked the beginning of a long cycle of incarceration. He was imprisoned multiple times between 1990 and 1999. In a strange twist, after being released, Newton committed another burglary at his father’s house, an act he later admitted was intentional so he could return to prison. He claimed that prison was more enjoyable than life outside.

Despite several arrests and psychiatric evaluations, Newton was often described by professionals as manipulative and capable of faking mental illness for access to medication or sympathy. He reportedly studied psychological textbooks in prison to mimic symptoms. Diagnoses over the years ranged from PTSD and mood disorders to malingering. He often fabricated stories about satanic killings, murders during childhood, and even terrorist plots. According to mental health professionals, Newton was never psychotic, though he tried to portray himself as such.

Christopher Newton was already serving time at Mansfield Correctional Institution (MANCI) in Ohio when he murdered his cellmate, Jason Brewer, on November 15, 2001. The pair had been assigned to cell 115 in the protective custody wing, Newton had requested protection after claiming another inmate threatened him. In reality, he later admitted he requested the placement as part of a premeditated plan.

Newton, who weighed between 195 and 225 pounds, shared the cell with Brewer, a 27-year-old man who was 5'11" and weighed only 130 pounds. Their relationship reportedly became tense during a simple chess game. Newton claimed he became enraged when Brewer would surrender every time he was placed in check and demand a restart. He later used this as justification for the brutal murder that followed.

On the morning of November 15, prison staff were alerted by noise and disturbance coming from cell 115. Inside, they found Brewer lying motionless in a pool of blood, and Newton, laughing, with blood smeared across his face. Newton made multiple disturbing remarks to nurses and guards, including that he had "painted himself with the victim's blood" and "ingested it as part of the ritual when you kill someone." He also told paramedics, “There is nothing like the taste of fresh blood in the morning.”

Though paramedics managed to revive Brewer’s heartbeat temporarily, he was declared brain dead later that day at 2:30 p.m. after being transferred to Ohio State University Medical Center. An autopsy revealed ligature strangulation as the cause of death, along with signs of repeated blunt-force trauma to the head, chest, and neck. Newton had stomped on Brewer’s body and throat and had ignored his cellmate’s cries for mercy.

Following the murder, Newton was proud and vocal. He shouted “Welcome to the house of death!” when correctional officers arrived. He also wrote an 11-page letter graphically detailing the crime. Four letters were found in his cell, dated the night before the murder, describing his intent. He signed them “Satan’s Messenger, 666,” and left bloody fingerprints on the paper. He later told officers another inmate had hired him to hurt Brewer, but ultimately took full responsibility.

During trial, Newton waived his Miranda rights and described the killing in gruesome detail, even joking about it. Despite concerns over his mental health, multiple psychiatrists concluded that Newton was fully aware of his actions and competent to stand trial. His behavior became increasingly theatrical since on the anniversary of the murder, he made a party hat and joked with staff about celebrating the occasion. He laughed after being sentenced to death.

Newton later dropped all appeals, stating he wished to be executed. His execution was first scheduled for February 27, 2007, but the governor issued a temporary reprieve. Newton was reportedly upset by this delay and maintained that he wanted the sentence carried out.

He was finally executed on May 24, 2007, at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. His weight, approximately 265 pounds, caused significant complications during the lethal injection. It took over two hours and at least 10 attempts to insert the necessary IV lines. At one point, Newton even requested a bathroom break and joked with the execution team.

He was pronounced dead at 11:53 a.m., nearly two hours after the execution began at 10:00 a.m. His last meal included steak, asparagus, brussels sprouts, feta cheese, a soft drink, cake, and watermelon. His last words were bizarre and haunting: “I sure could use a beef stew and a chicken bone.”