GREAT FALLS — Christopher James Jenkins has been charged with several felonies after he allegedly killed his grandmother in Great Falls.
Court documents state that on Friday, May 8, 2026, police officers responded to a residence at 1010 12th Street NW after a person reported that he found his neighbor deceased.
Justin Robicheau reports - watch the video here:
The caller said it appeared the female victim had been beaten to death.
The victim is identified in the charging documents as Lorraine Jenkins, who was born in 1930.
When officers arrived, they talked with Jenkins in the backyard of the residence, where he was "doing yardwork." When an officer asked what kind of yardwork, Jenkins reportedly said he was getting ready to bury his grandmother.
Jenkins was then taken to the Great Falls Police Department and interviewed.
Jenkins said that at around noon he attempted to kill himself “multiple times” using a tire rope swing; officers noted red marks on Jenkins’ neck consistent with his account.
He said that he then went up to his grandmother, who was sitting in a chair in the living room, and begged her to kill him.
She refused, and Jenkins said that at some point he tried to hit his head on the basement floor and on a mirror upstairs,
Court documents state that he admitted killing his grandmother by choking and beating her.
Jenkins has at least one felony conviction for child endangerment. In that case, he was driving a vehicle with his seven-year old daughter in the backseat when he struck another vehicle and Ieft the scene. He received a deferred imposition of sentence and completed that sentence, and the conviction was dismissed.
Jenkins also has a conviction for misdemeanor sexual assault, which was originally charged as felony sexual intercourse without consent.
Charging documents note that law enforcement officers responded to the house on 12th Street NW last month for an argument between Jenkins and his grandmother. She did not fall or sustain any injuries because she was holding on to her walker. At that time, she and family members told officers that although Jenkins had lived in the house for several years, the last month had become particularly bad as Jenkins had become verbally abusive toward his grandmother.
Jenkins, 41 years old, is charged with deliberate homicide, assault with a weapon, strangulation of partner/family member, and tampering with physical evidence. Prosecutors requested that bail be set at $750,000.
(MAY 8, 2026) The Great Falls Police Department in investigating what it calls a "serious incident" on Friday, May 8, 2026.
The agency said in a news release at about 3:10 p.m. that the incident is along the 1000 block of 12th Street NW.
There is an "increased police presence" and officers will likely be in the vicinity for some time.
The GFPD says that a a person has been taken into custody, and determined that there is no threat to nearby schools.
Residents in the area say that investigators were at the scene until after 9 p.m. on Friday.
No other details have been released. We have asked the GFPD for more information, but have not yet received a response.
We will update you when we get more details.
