Alabama is reeling after the heartbreaking news that former WBRC sports reporter Christina Chambers and her husband were found dead in their Hoover home on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
Authorities say the deaths appear to be a murder-suicide, though the investigation is ongoing.
Miraculously, the couple’s 3-year-old child was unharmed.
Gunshot wounds
According to the Hoover Police Department, 38-year-old Christina Chambers and her 41-year-old husband, Johnny Rimes Jr., were found unresponsive by a family member around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, prompting a 911 call.
First responders pronounced both adults dead from gunshot wounds. Authorities are still investigating the full circumstances, but police say there is no ongoing threat to the public. Officials believe Rimes shot Chambers before taking his own life, according to AL.com.
Chambers, a devoted runner and former UAB track athlete, had gone for her usual morning run and returned home around 6 a.m. or shortly after.
Police arrived at the 700 block of Highland Manor Court, just off Sulphur Springs Road, shortly after 9 a.m.
The heartbreaking scene was discovered by Rimes’ parents, who became concerned when Chambers, Rimes, and their young son failed to show up for a Christmas program at Prince of Peace Catholic School in Hoover, where the family also attended church.
Impact beyond the newsroom
Christina Chambers’ impact extended far beyond the newsroom. She began her career covering local sports at WAKA in Montgomery and WLTZ NBC38 in Columbus, Georgia, before joining Comcast Sports Southeast in Atlanta, where she highlighted Auburn University and high school athletics.
She also freelanced for Raycom Media, covering state championship football and basketball games.
In 2015, she returned to her hometown to join WBRC in Birmingham, where she became a fixture on Sideline, the station’s Friday night high school football show.
Six years later, she shifted her focus to teaching, leading the broadcast journalism program at Thompson High School in Alabaster. Her students thrived under her guidance, earning top honors and recognition. Chambers herself was named Advisor of the Year in 2024 by the Alabama Scholastic Press Association.
Even after stepping away from full-time reporting, she returned as a freelancer during the 2025 football season and remained active in corporate communications at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
Sophie Martin, the company’s Director of Corporate Communications, remembered her as a “cherished colleague whose warmth and loving personality touched everyone she worked with,” adding, “Christina was a source of joy and inspiration to our team and company – she will be greatly missed.”
Simone Eli, a sports anchor for PIX 11 in New York City who previously worked at several Alabama TV stations, shared her heartfelt tribute to Chambers on Facebook:
“Often, when something tragic happens, folks talk about how great a person’s impact was. But what Christina Chambers means to so many people in the state of Alabama — cannot even be described
“Her love for others, her love for her son, her family, her love for running, broadcast, Cullman, UAB — was palpable. She is the embodiment of a remarkable human being and friend. She has touched so, so many lives. Including mine.
“For more than a decade, we shared a sideline and press box… from national titles to high school football state championships. But what we enjoyed sharing most was stories of becoming working TV moms at the same time.”
A devoted mother
Chambers’ life was also defined by her role as a loving mother.
She often shared moments with her young son on social media, joking about her “Mommy/Son 5K” runs and celebrating milestones together. On Mother’s Day 2023, she wrote, “Being a mom is the best blessing in life,” a sentiment that resonates even more deeply in light of this tragedy.
Chambers and her husband tied the knot in 2021, according to AL.com.
WBRC shared their heartbreak on social media, calling for the community to keep Christina’s family in their thoughts. U.S. Senator Katie Boyd Britt also offered condolences, asking for prayers for the loved ones of the couple.
Friends, colleagues, and fans alike have expressed shock, mourning a woman who brought passion, energy, and kindness to everything she did.
“This is a devastating loss for our community,” WBRC said. “Christina’s dedication, talent, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew her. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this unbelievably difficult time.”
From covering thrilling Friday night football games to shaping the next generation of journalists, Christina Chambers lived a life of service, passion, and care — and now, her memory will be cherished by all who knew her. RIP, Christina!
