True Crime Vault: A Killing on the Cape

Episode of 20/20 · June 30, 2026 · 1 h 24 min

20/20 revisits the 2002 murder of fashion writer Christa Worthington in Truro, Massachusetts, and questions whether trash collector Christopher McCowan was rightly convicted.

Summary

The episode, a 2017 20/20 report re-released in the True Crime Vault, recounted the January 2002 killing of Christa Worthington, a former fashion writer found stabbed in her Truro, Cape Cod, cottage with her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Ava beside her. Friends, colleagues and residents described Worthington's career at Women's Wear Daily and Elle, her complicated love life, and her decision to have a child, fathered by married shellfish constable Tony Jackett.

Investigators scrutinized ex-boyfriend Tim Arnold, who found the body, Jackett and his wife Susan, magician Thomas Churchwell, and Worthington's father and his girlfriend. Critics including author Peter Manso faulted the crime-scene handling and the controversial DNA dragnet of Truro's men. In 2005 police arrested trash collector Christopher McCowan after a long-delayed lab match.

At trial, prosecutors relied on DNA and McCowan's unrecorded six-hour statement to police. Defense attorney Robert George argued the statement was a false confession from an impaired, low-IQ man, that the sex was consensual days earlier, and pointed to Jeremy Frazier, blue-and-white fibers and a neighbor's sighting of a white driver. McCowan was convicted of first-degree murder; a motion alleging racial bias among jurors was denied.

In a prison phone interview McCowan maintained his innocence. The episode closed with his attorney's efforts at a new trial, the destruction of Frazier's phone records, and an update that Ava, raised by family friend Amyra Chase, was a college freshman.

Chapters

0:31
A murder in Truro
An EMT describes finding Christa Worthington dead with her toddler beside her in a town with no murder in 30 years.
5:28
Who was Christa Worthington
Friends and colleagues recall her privileged upbringing, Vassar education and high-fashion writing career.
8:43
Tim Arnold under suspicion
The ex-boyfriend who found the body becomes the first suspect amid a tumultuous relationship.
16:05
Love life and motherhood
Worthington's troubled relationships, public quest for a child and move to Cape Cod are explored.
22:14
The affair with Tony Jackett
Her affair with the married shellfish constable produces Ava and tensions over support and disclosure to his wife.
29:13
Widening the circle of suspects
Police examine the Jacketts, magician Thomas Churchwell, and Worthington's father and his girlfriend.
35:41
Crime scene and DNA dragnet
Critics fault the handling of the scene, and police ask Truro's men for DNA samples.
45:18
Arrest of Christopher McCowan
A delayed DNA match leads to the arrest of Worthington's trash collector, whom supporters defend.
53:12
The trial and McCowan's statement
Prosecutors present DNA and McCowan's shifting statement implicating Jeremy Frazier.
1:01:41
The defense case
The defense attacks the unrecorded statement and points to fibers, Frazier's alibi and a white driver.
1:11:55
Verdict and juror bias claims
McCowan is convicted and a motion alleging racial bias in deliberations fails.
1:15:37
McCowan speaks and new-trial efforts
McCowan maintains innocence by phone while his attorney pursues Frazier's phone records.
1:22:39
Ava today
The episode updates on Ava's upbringing and reflects on the lingering mystery.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Tony Jackett
Jackett denies having a motive, while acknowledging police heard Worthington wanted money and planned to go to court.
“Why would I want to kill her? But they're getting information that says otherwise, that Krista wanted money”
Listen from 32:22 · Murder of Christa Worthington
Roy McCowan
Roy McCowan insists his son was a womanizer but not a killer.
“I'm saying to myself, Christopher McAlwin is a player. He's not a murderer”
Listen from 47:47 · Murder of Christa Worthington

People

In the conversation

Peter MansoAuthor of the book Reasonable Doubt about the Worthington case and Truro resident
Robert GeorgeDefense attorney for Christopher McCowan at trial (label also includes an ad read)
Tony JackettTruro shellfish constable and father of Worthington's daughter Ava
Susan JackettWife of Tony Jackett
George MalloyTruro Rescue Squad EMT who responded to the scene
Thomas ChurchwellNew York magician and former boyfriend of Worthington (label also includes an ad read)
Roy McCowanFather of Christopher McCowan
Christopher McCowanTrash collector convicted of Worthington's murder, interviewed by prison phone
Gerard SmithTruro neighbor who saw a car speeding from Worthington's driveway

Discussed

Christa WorthingtonFashion writer murdered in Truro, Massachusetts, in January 2002
Ava WorthingtonDaughter of Christa Worthington, found beside her mother's body
Jeremy FrazierAcquaintance whom McCowan named in his statement; testified for the prosecution
Christopher WorthingtonChrista's father, a Harvard-educated lawyer questioned in the case
Elizabeth PorterGirlfriend of Christa's father, questioned by police
Amyra ChaseFriend of Christa Worthington named Ava's guardian
Sean MulveyFriend who provided Jeremy Frazier's alibi
Lemuel Shaw19th-century Massachusetts jurist credited with formulating reasonable doubt

Topics

Home Alone
20/20 · Oct 3, 2026 · 1 h 26 min
John Quiñones reports on the 2015 murder of Allison Feldman in Scottsdale, solved through Arizona's first use of familial DNA and contested in court.
The Salem Strangler
20/20 · Sep 26, 2026 · 1 h 27 min
20/20 recounts the 1986 strangling of Salem State student Claire Gravel and how a similar 2007 attack and DNA led to John Carey's conviction.
True Crime Vault: The Accused
20/20 · Sep 22, 2026 · 1 h 24 min
David Muir revisits the 2004 murder of three-year-old Riley Fox, her father's coerced false confession, his DNA exoneration, and the FBI's identification of killer Scott Eby.
MURDERED: Joyce LePage Part 2
Crime Junkie · Jul 27, 2026 · 47 min
Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat examine the remaining suspects in the 1971 murder of WSU student Joyce LePage, including her roommate Bruce Bierbaum.
First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder (Rebroadcast)
20/20 · Jul 25, 2026 · 1 h 23 min
20/20 recounts the 2001 murder of Leslie Prier in Chevy Chase, Maryland, solved 23 years later when genetic genealogy and an airport DNA sting identified her daughter's ex-boyfriend.
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Guthrie
Crime Junkie · Jul 22, 2026 · 54 min
Crime Junkie reporter Briana Whitney and Ashley Flowers revisit the Nancy Guthrie abduction six months on: ransom notes, investigative missteps, and a 'wrench attack' theory.

From the publisher

The murder of Christa Worthington rocked Cape Cod, with the entire town under suspicion. 20/20 explores if the right man is behind bars. (OAD 11/24/17) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: True Crime·Documentary