Local

Marine from Washington Co. accused of killing wife

WASHINGTON, Pa. — A Marine from Washington County was arrested over the weekend on murder charges in North Carolina.

Sgt. Christopher Skaggs, a Marine assigned as a staff member at School of Infantry-East aboard Camp Geiger, is accused of killing his wife inside their home over the weekend.

Investigators said Skaggs, 32, went on a rampage, grabbed a handgun and shot his wife, Jordan, several times in the chest while their three children were swimming at a neighbor’s house.

Bill Cameron and his family lived next to Skaggs when he was growing up in Washington. He said the two families were close and he followed Skaggs’ military career when he joined the Marines and did several tours in Iraq.

“I’m just truly devastated because Christopher was a good kid. We loved Christopher. We loved all of them,” Cameron said. “He served his country very proudly. We’re proud of what Christopher did over there.”

Skaggs is a decorated Marine with more than 10 medals and commendations. Cameron said what he’s accused of seems almost unfathomable.

“I can’t imagine what drove him to this act and my heart goes out to his wife’s family and to their kids. I’m just devastated by this,” Cameron said. “My heart goes out to his mom and his dad, and his brothers and sister. I can't imagine what they're going through right now and it really breaks my heart to think about them having to deal with this crisis."

Skaggs enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006 as an infantryman and was working in the logistics section of Infantry Training Battalion when the alleged incident occurred.

WPXI

Most Read