Flint, Michigan – Situated along North Dort Highway, the Flint Motel is composed of a cluster of small tan buildings surrounded by swathes of overgrown grass and the occasional dandelion breaking through. Room 18 of this unassuming motel became the scene of a tragic event on February 28th. A man and a woman entered the room in the early hours of the morning, engaged in a heated argument that would ultimately lead to a fatal outcome for one of them.
The woman involved in the altercation was identified as 48-year-old mother of seven, Christina Elizabeth Barber. A week after her disappearance, the man, Christopher Astin Motry, was charged with her murder. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton described the gruesome events during a news conference, detailing how Motry allegedly killed Barber and disposed of her body near the banks of the Flint River.
Following the charges, Motry was arraigned on counts of premeditated murder, tampering with evidence, concealing a death, and domestic violence. He is currently held without bond at the Genesee County Jail, awaiting a preliminary examination scheduled for May 23rd. Motry’s attorney, Barry Wolf, has not provided any comments on the case.
Surveillance footage from the motel captured Motry and Barber entering Room 18 that fateful morning. Despite Motry being married, the two were reportedly in a romantic relationship while working together at a local Burger King. The footage showed Motry entering and leaving the room multiple times, eventually leaving the motel in his pickup truck.
Days later, police received a call requesting a welfare check on Barber after she had not been heard from. Subsequent investigations revealed bloodstains in Room 18, leading to the discovery of Barber’s body along the Flint River, bound and concealed in garbage bags. An autopsy confirmed her identity and revealed signs of strangulation.
As the investigation unfolded, details emerged of Barber’s attempt to end the affair with Motry, prompting a chilling response from him. Witnesses recalled Motry threatening Barber, indicating a tumultuous end to their relationship. The case continues to unravel, shedding light on a tragic tale of betrayal and violence in the heart of Flint.
Authorities are diligently piecing together the events leading to Barber’s untimely demise, seeking justice for a beloved mother and member of the community. The Flint Motel, once a nondescript stop along North Dort Highway, now holds the somber memory of a life lost in tragic circumstances.