Scholtes Commits Suicide Before Reporting to Prison for Daughter’s Murder
Christopher Scholtes, who was charged with the murder of his daughter, took his own life in a tragic turn of events. The 38-year-old had accepted a plea deal to avoid life in prison, but sadly ended his own life the night before he was supposed to begin his sentence.
In a cruel twist of fate, Scholtes died from carbon monoxide suffocation in his family’s garage, inside his red Honda S2000 convertible. The Maricopa County medical examiner confirmed the cause of death, leaving his wife, Erika, their nanny, and their children devastated.
A neighbor who witnessed the heartbreaking scene described how Erika and the others found Scholtes’ lifeless body in the car. The neighbor recounted, “They were all standing around the car, and he was already inside, dead at that point. Erika suddenly started pacing, and another woman arrived in a panic, rushing to the door.”
Emergency services were called to the scene, but the deadly carbon monoxide fumes had already spread, putting the rest of the family in danger. The neighbor expressed concern, saying, “I’m not sure how far the fumes had spread into the house, but the kids and the family were inside. It could have been a disaster.”
