Christine Hardman, a 26-year-old woman, tragically lost her life on February 13, 1978, in Franklin, Ohio. She was the victim of a brutal crime committed by Gary and Thaddeus Lewingdon, who were later dubbed "The .22 Caliber Killers". The Lewingdon brothers were responsible for a series of murders in Ohio during 1977 and 1978, primarily targeting strangers for robbery.
On the night of Christine Hardman's death, the Lewingdon brothers broke into the property of Robert McCann, a nightclub
owner in Franklin County. During the robbery, they shot McCann, his 77-year-old mother Dorothy, and Christine Hardman, who was McCann's girlfriend. Christine was shot multiple times in the head, leading to her untimely death.
The investigation into Christine Hardman's murder was part of a larger effort to capture the Lewingdon brothers, who continued their crime spree until their arrest in December 1978. Gary and Thaddeus Lewingdon were eventually convicted of multiple murders, including Christine Hardman's, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The case of Christine Hardman's murder highlighted the brutality and violence of the Lewingdon brothers' crime spree, which terrorized the community and led to a significant law enforcement effort to bring them to justice. The tragic loss of Christine Hardman at such a young age remains a somber reminder of the impact of violent crime on individuals and communities.
