Man arrested for violent murder of Playboy model Christina Kraft was released from jail in July

Man arrested for violent murder of Playboy model Christina Kraft was released from jail in July

An arrest has been made in connection with the murder of former Playboy model Christina Kraft. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office and Lower Merion Township police have announced that they arrested 30-year-old Jonathan Wesley Harris of Johnstown, Pennsylvania for the strangulation death of 36-year-old Kraft on August 22 at her home in Ardmore, Philadelphia.

Her body was discovered during a wellness check by the police. According to CBS, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced during a press conference that "it was a violent death" and that they will "pursue justice in this case." 

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Christina Kraft was found dead at her apartment on August 22 (Source: Facebook)
Christina Kraft was found dead at her apartment on August 22 (Source: Facebook)

 

Kraft reportedly took a Lyft to go to the 1400 block of Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia to meet Harris and the pair later traveled back to Ardmore at 3 am to the model's apartment on Sibley Avenue. But a violent struggle would ensue inside the residence and her body was found beaten and strangled. An autopsy report confirmed that the 36-year-old suffered a broken nose as well, and Steele said that the beating was "substantial" and that "there was a lot of blood."

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ABC Philadelphia reported that Harris was the person of interest in the surveillance images released this week and the footage showed him and Kraft meeting near South Broad and 13th Streets. The authorities also found text messages sent from his phone to a friend at 2:40 a.m. on the night of the murder reading, "I just met this sexy a** b****, at her house in Ardmore now." Further records show that the front door of the apartment opened at 3:08 a.m. and then the back door leading to a terrace closed at 5:19 a.m. Steele said that the model had been killed in a struggle in between that two-hour timespan.

Jonathan Harris was arrested by the police in connection to the murder (Source: Facebook)
Jonathan Harris was arrested by the police in connection to the murder (Source: Facebook)

 

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Harris was subsequently arrested as he got off a bus in Pittsburgh and it was later revealed that Harris had only been released from state prison for another crime this past July 15. Steele says that there has been no evidence indicating that there was a previous relationship between Harris and Kraft, but added the investigation into the case was still ongoing.

Investigators are also looking for 31-year-old Andre Melton in connection with a burglary at Kraft's apartment the previous weekend. Police say that designer bags and jewelry reported stolen by the model were discovered at his Theodore Street Home in Southwest Philadelphia. He was last known to be driving a rented burgundy Kia Sorrento with Virginia plates, though it is currently unclear whether the murder and the burglary are connected.

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 Police arrest Jonathan Harris murder former playboy model Christina Kraft