Did tarot cards solve a murder? How a psychic reading made Lea Porter's murderer confess

Lea Porter was a 19-year-old from Westminster, Colorado, who vanished without a trace on June 3, 2014. As per ABC7 News, she was known for her feisty and sociable personality. However, her disappearance left her family desperate for answers.

Her mother, Rene Jackson, took it upon herself to investigate, focusing on the calls Lea made from her cellphone. One number kept appearing repeatedly, Christopher Waide, a former Army soldier and criminology student. This case became the subject of a detailed investigation in ABC's 20/20 special, which first aired on October 21, 2015.

Waide said Lea fled after receiving a phone notification late at night, but her family suspected he knew more than he admitted. After weeks of searching, Maxx, Lea's brother, encountered Waide in a park and secretly recorded their chat.

It was here that Waide, in a tense exchange, confessed to Lea’s murder, though he claimed it was in self-defense during a struggle over a knife.

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How did a tarot solve Lea Porter's murder case?

The mystery of Lea Porter's murder took a dramatic turn when Christopher Waide later confessed to his role in her death due to a tarot card reading. According to ABC News, published on October 22, 2016, Waide revealed that his guilt over the murder led him to seek spiritual guidance.

"The cards were saying to me that my guilt over that would destroy me unless I let it out," he told 20/20.

His obsession with tarot cards had been a recurring theme in his life, but it was these cards that led him to unburden himself about Lea's death.

Waide also stated that he had planned to end his life but was stopped by what he described as Lea Porter’s spirit. Waide’s confession was not just to his friends or family; it came after he had already confessed to law enforcement, though he maintained that the killing was in self-defense.

Despite his explanations, police had already suspected Waide's involvement, especially after his first admission to police officers when his initial statement seemed dubious.

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The confession and investigation

Maxx Porter secretly recorded their chat. (Representative image via Unsplash)

The confession came after Maxx Porter confronted Waide and secretly recorded their chat. Waide stated that during a confrontation at his residence, Lea allegedly attacked him with a knife. He stated he attempted to defend himself, but the incident deteriorated, resulting in her death.

Maxx Porter’s actions forced Waide into a position where he had to confess his crime; first verbally, and later to a 911 operator, as per ABC.

"I’d like to confess to a murder," Waide said when making the 911 call.

However, even as Waide confessed, there were inconsistencies in his account. Despite his claim of self-defense, investigators found the details of his story difficult to reconcile with the evidence.

For instance, police questioned why he did not seek help or attempt to flee. Waide’s claim that he acted in self-defense seemed improbable, given Lea’s small stature and the nature of the fatal confrontation. Yet, it was his tarot card readings that pushed him into a confession—he could no longer live with the burden of his guilt.

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The murderer’s fate

Christopher Waide was sentenced to 48 years in prison (Representative image via Unsplash)

Christopher Waide eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 48 years in prison. While Waide admitted to his crime, he never revealed the location of Lea Porter’s body, leaving her family in anguish.

The search for her remains continued even after his conviction. Waide, now serving his sentence, maintains his version of events, insisting that the murder was a tragic accident during a struggle. Despite his confession and the ensuing legal resolution, the true circumstances of Lea Porter's death remain clouded in mystery.

Lea Porter’s family, particularly her brother Maxx, continues to seek closure. Maxx Porter told ABC,

"I want to do it for her. She doesn’t deserve to be just tossed away like a piece of trash."

The case remains open in many ways, as her body has never been found, and the true nature of the events surrounding her death remains a point of contention.

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For a detailed look at how a tarot reading led to a murderer’s confession, viewers can watch ABC's 20/20. Stay tuned for more details related to Lea Porter’s murder.