Tragedy Strikes Alabama Family as Former Sports Reporter and Husband Found Dead

In a heart-wrenching incident that has shaken the Hoover, Alabama community, Christina Chambers, a beloved former sports reporter for WBRC 6, and her husband Johnny Rimes were discovered deceased in their home on Tuesday morning. What makes this tragedy even more devastating is that their 3-year-old son was present in the home but thankfully unharmed. According to police reports, the incident is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide. The circumstances surrounding the discovery are particularly heartbreaking – when Rimes’ father arrived at their home after the couple missed a scheduled church event, he was greeted at the door by his young grandson, who led him inside where the tragic scene awaited. This devastating moment has left family members, neighbors, and colleagues grappling with shock and profound grief as they try to understand what happened to a couple who, from the outside, appeared to have built a beautiful life together.

The couple had been residents of their Hoover neighborhood for seven years, where they were generally seen as happy by those who knew them. However, neighbor Charles Maple shared with People magazine that he noticed subtle changes in their relationship dynamic following the birth of their child, saying “something wasn’t right” between them in recent times. While expressing his shock at the tragic outcome, Maple admitted he “wasn’t totally surprised,” suggesting there may have been underlying issues that weren’t apparent to the broader community. This heartbreaking situation highlights how even those who appear to have perfect lives may be struggling with private difficulties that remain hidden from view. The 3-year-old child now faces an unimaginable future, having lost both parents in such traumatic circumstances, adding another layer of heartbreak to an already devastating situation.

Christina Chambers had built a respected career at WBRC 6, joining the station in 2015 and becoming an integral part of their “Sideline” program, which provided primetime coverage of local sports. Her colleagues remember her not just for her professional accomplishments but for her remarkable personality that made everyone feel like an instant friend. Throughout her tenure at the station, Chambers demonstrated exceptional dedication to her craft, even going so far as to anchor coverage of marathons while simultaneously participating as a runner – a testament to her work ethic and passion. Her impact extended well beyond traditional reporting, with colleague Gillian Brooks noting during an emotional on-air tribute that many at the station were struggling to comprehend talking about “this bright light” in the past tense. The shock of her sudden and tragic passing has left a palpable void in Birmingham’s media community.

After leaving her full-time role at WBRC 6 in July 2021, Chambers redirected her talents toward education while maintaining ties to journalism. She began teaching broadcast journalism at Thompson High School, where her exceptional abilities as an educator were recognized when she received the 2024 Advisor of the Year award from the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. This career transition demonstrated her commitment to nurturing the next generation of journalists while continuing to contribute to her former station’s coverage of the 2025 football season as a freelancer. Her successful shift into education revealed yet another dimension of her talents and underscored her dedication to sharing her knowledge and experience with young people interested in media careers. The impact she made in this role adds to the profound sense of loss felt by both the journalism and education communities in Alabama.

The grief expressed by Chambers’ former colleagues at WBRC 6 reveals the deep personal connections she formed throughout her career. News anchor Jeh Jeh Pruitt described her as “one of the sweetest, most loving people that I know” and recalled how she approached everything in life with passion – whether it was her professional work, running marathons, or especially loving her young son. In a particularly poignant revelation, Pruitt mentioned having hugged Chambers and expressing his love for her just a week before the tragedy at a Super 7 event, a final interaction that now carries tremendous emotional weight. His public statement of condolence acknowledged the far-reaching impact of this loss on multiple communities – her family, the Thompson High School family, and her WBRC family – all of whom are now left to mourn a vibrant presence extinguished too soon.

As the Hoover community tries to process this shocking event, the focus inevitably turns to the innocent child caught in this tragedy. While physically unharmed, the psychological impact of these circumstances on a 3-year-old can hardly be overstated. The image of a toddler answering the door for his grandfather, unaware of the gravity of what had occurred in the home, serves as a particularly haunting detail in an already devastating story. As authorities continue to investigate the exact circumstances surrounding what they believe to be a murder-suicide, friends and colleagues of Christina Chambers are left remembering a talented journalist, dedicated teacher, loving mother, and warm presence whose life ended tragically. The simultaneous loss of both parents under such circumstances represents an incomprehensible trauma for their young child and a sobering reminder of how private struggles can sometimes lead to unimaginable outcomes, even for those who appear to have everything to live for.