Flagstaff – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested two subjects in connection with the homicide death of David Alan Christine. The body of David Christine was found by a motorist traveling on a dirt road near milepost 440 of Forest Service Road 505, also known as Leupp Rd. Mr. Christine was found lying near the roadway and was the apparent victim of a homicide.
On May 21, the on scene detective noticed a wire ligature around Mr. Christine’s neck indicating foul play. Based on investigation of the area around the body, detectives believed the homicide occurred elsewhere. The victim’s vehicle was not in the area and the victim had no identification on him.
The United States Marshals Flagstaff Field Office assisted the investigation with an expedited finger print analysis which led to the identification of the victim as David Alan Christine. Flagstaff Police Department patrol officers located the victim’s vehicle, a white Plymouth Voyager minivan, abandoned behind a local motel. The help of both of these partnering agencies was instrumental in the investigation of this case.
Leads were developed by Sheriff’s Office detectives, and many individuals were interviewed. Two individuals interviewed were 35-year-old Gabriel Lewis, a former friend of Mr. Christine, and 51-year-old Marvin Curley, uncle of Gabriel Lewis. Mr. Christine and Lewis had been friends but had a falling out approximately a year ago. For the past year, Mr. Christine had been living in Phoenix and had just recently returned to Flagstaff. Marvin Curley and Gabriel Lewis also recently moved to Flagstaff from the Williams Arizona area. The three individuals were acquaintances, and all three frequented the Flagstaff Homeless shelter.
Detectives were able to determine that Marvin Curley was the last person known to be with David Christine before the discovery of his body near Leupp. Detectives learned that on May 20 David Christine and Marvin Curley met up and began drinking together. In the early evening hours Marvin Curley produced a length of wire and placed it around David Christine’s neck and choked him until he was dead.
Curley then drove David Christine out of town toward the reservation. On Leupp Road just shy of the reservation, Curley pulled off of the main road onto a side road and dumped the body of David Christine. Curley then returned to Flagstaff, leaving the van in a motel parking lot.
Detectives learned that Curley and Lewis had previously discussed and planned this attack on David Christine days before this incident. Lewis was apparently not present during the homicide, information was gathered implicating Lewis in the crime. Statements indicated that they were seeking a way to get rid of David Christine because he would not leave them alone. On May 21 Curley informed Lewis that he killed David Christine and they would no longer be bothered by him.
On May 23 detectives booked Marvin Curley into the Coconino County Jail on First Degree Murder of David Christine. Gabriel Lewis also was booked at that time for Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder and Obstructing a Criminal Investigation. Curley has no bond and Lewis currently has a $1,000,000.00 bond.