Huntsville Police provides update on Christina Nance case
Published on October 15, 2021
The Huntsville Police Department (HPD) provided new information about how Christina Nance entered a parked, unoccupied police van in the rear corner of a parking lot at the Public Safety Complex, 815 Wheeler Ave.
Ms. Nance’s body was discovered by a police officer walking in the parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 7. The officer noticed shoes next to the van and approached the vehicle, discovering Ms. Nance’s body inside. HPD has reviewed hours of security video to determine the events leading up to the discovery of Ms. Nance.
City of Huntsville security cameras attached to the Public Safety Complex show Ms. Nance enter the parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 25, at approximately 12:30 p.m. In the video, Ms. Nance is seen walking around the lot, lying down in the bushes, sitting on the hood of a police car, and approaching other parked and unoccupied vehicles for about 10 minutes before entering the van through the rear door.
Security video shows Ms. Nance entered the unlocked police van through the rear door and movement in the van through Tuesday, Sept. 28. Ms. Nance was reported missing by her family on Saturday, Oct. 2.
“The Huntsville Police Department’s thoughts are with the family during this tragedy,” said Police Chief Mark McMurray. “Investigators met with the family Friday morning and showed them the security video of the events leading up to Ms. Nance’s death. We will continue to work with them through this difficult time.”
Madison County Coroner Dr. Tyler Berryhill announced an autopsy performed at the Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville on Tuesday, Oct. 12, showed no foul play or trauma in Ms. Nance’s death. The official cause of death will be ruled by the State Medical Examiner once additional studies, including toxicology, are complete.
The van was purchased by HPD in 1995 to transport inmates. In the early 2000s, the van was repurposed and used by civilian employees to transfer evidence approved for destruction from cleared cases. The van was last used in March 2021.
