Police: Army medic admits to raping, killing infant daughter; sister removed from home

Police were called out on Tuesday to a normally quiet neighborhood near Exit 1 to help a family giving CPR to a child. What they found was a 9-month-old girl who had been strangled and raped.

The girl's father, Christopher Paul Conway, 22, was charged early Wednesday with aggravated child rape and homicide. The girl had a twin sister; that child has been removed from the home and is now in state custody.

At 7:19 a.m. Tuesday, Clarksville police responded to the call at Cindy Jo Court, according to a news release from police spokesman Jim Knoll. The girl was taken to Tennova Health Care and pronounced dead at about 8 a.m. According to an arrest warrant, she had injuries consistent with being raped.

Homicide detectives determined that the infant had been sexually assaulted and that a cord was wrapped around her neck, causing her death. Furthermore, they determined that Conway, an Army medic, was responsible, Knoll said.

According to arrest warrants, Conway confessed to police during an interview to both the rape and homicide.

Department of Children's Services spokesman Rob Johnson said the infant's twin sister was removed from the home and placed in foster care as DCS also investigates. He said it does not appear that the department had previous dealings with the family.

Conway was booked into Montgomery County Jail on $100,000 bond for the rape charge. Judge Ray Grimes denied bond on the homicide charge, stating in court that this could be a death penalty case.

Conway's Facebook page indicates he's an Army combat medic from Grand Bay, Alabama, and is the married father of twin girls. Neighbors confirmed the girls were twins. He listed U.S. Army as his current employer on police records.

Wednesday morning, the yard at Cindy Jo Court was marked by two things: A white cutout Nativity silhouette of Joseph, Mary and Jesus in a manger, and the remnants of crime scene tape ripped from a fire hydrant.

A woman who answered the door declined to comment.

Chris Smith contributed to this report. Reach Reporter Stephanie Ingersoll at singersoll@theleafchronicle.com or 931-245-0267 and on Twitter @StephLeaf