A Lansing man was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison after admitting he stabbed his roommate to death during a fight.
A Fatal Fight on Waverly Drive
Christopher Jordan, 38, pleaded guilty in July to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, stemming from the Feb. 1, 2025, death of 33-year-old John Walker-Spencer of Gary.
Gary Police responded Feb. 1, 2025, to an apartment on the 2400 block of Waverly Drive, where officers found Walker-Spencer lying in the living room, stabbed in the abdomen. He was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary.
A Daughter’s Loss and Evidentiary Hurdles
In court, a letter written by Walker-Spencer’s daughter—who was a preteen when he died—was read aloud by a prosecutor. She described him as a “most fun dad” who was “my joy.” His mother, Roxie Diggs, noted in writing that the girl’s mother had passed away from cancer.
Deputy Prosecutor Judy Massa credited Jordan for being “genuinely remorseful.” She noted there were evidentiary issues that would have made a trial difficult, including the fact that Jordan’s ex-girlfriend was on the phone during the incident but did not actually see what happened. Jordan also did not give a statement to the police.
Escalation and Defense Arguments
Defense lawyer Eric Morris explained that the tragedy grew out of an argument that escalated into a deadly tussle, during which Jordan stabbed Walker-Spencer once in the abdomen. Both men had been drinking.
Morris told the court that Jordan grew up in an abusive environment and left in his earlier teen years. He had “repeatedly made destructive choices”—referencing past criminal cases—and never received proper mental health treatment to cope with the lasting toll of his childhood.
Defendant Apologizes to Victim Family Before Commissioner
Addressing the court directly, Jordan apologized to Walker-Spencer’s daughter, stating he hoped she would find healing and that the incident never should have happened.
Commissioner Karyn Price, sitting in for Judge Gina Jones, stated she accepted the plea deal for the work the lawyers put into it and his remorse for Walker-Spencer’s daughter. She told Jordan he needed to work on getting his emotions under control and “get the help you need.”
