Christine Schulte, 53, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Stephen and Donna Schulte. Stephen Schulte was a carpenter, and Donna took in washing for some of Memphis's wealthier citizens and occasionally watched children in her home.
Information is lacking on Christine's early life. It seems the Schulte family was very private, and Christine's early school career was neither good enough nor bad enough to attract much attention. By the time Christine was in high school, she had developed a close friendship with a fellow student named Eileen Stanley, who described Christine as intelligent but terribly shy.
"Plus, her family didn't do much to broaden her life," Stanley said. "They loved her, and everyone really got along, but they were just so isolated within themselves. They didn't expect much of Christine, and she didn't seem to have any dreams."
High school passed for Christine without much excitement. After graduation, she got a job as a receptionist at Blue Ridge Auto, a Chevrolet car dealership. She worked for a couple of years after high school, and once again, seemed to live a very quiet life.
Co-workers from the dealership describe her as hard-working and private. "She just really kept to herself. No one really knew much about her," said retired car salesman Tom Howard.
Howard recalls a very particular customer, who wouldn't be satisfied until he got the exact car he wanted. Besides the desire for this specific car, Wayne Fisher made a big impression at Blue Ridge Auto by paying cash for his new car when it arrived from the factory. Dealership employees also noticed Fisher because he was the only person they had ever seen talking to Christine.
The following year, Wayne Fisher married Christine. The couple lived in Memphis for a couple of years, welcoming two sons to their young family, before relocating to Mississippi. Exact addresses are hard to locate, but the Fisher family apparently lived in the general Tupelo area, frequently moving from one town to another until settling in Pontotoc.
Christine periodically took jobs at area clothing stores and once worked at a grocery store. A former supervisor remembered Christine as nervous and flighty and said she had "some kind of man trouble."
That "man trouble" was Christine's own husband, Wayne, about whom she regularly complained to her young sons. After his military service, Wayne was apparently unable to find a job he could tolerate, and instead took up odd jobs and smuggling gigs that Christine called "dirty work."
Joel remembers his dad was never around, and when Wayne did show up, he and Christine fought most of the time.
When Joel was 12 and Ned was 10, Pontotoc school officials requested that Child Protective Services conduct examinations into the fitness of the Fisher household, but no action was ever taken.
The next year, neighbors called the police to report a domestic disturbance at the Fisher residence. After Wayne spent two days in jail, Christine dropped the charges.
Less than 12 months later, county clerk records indicate that Christine filed for divorce from Wayne, and the proceedings were finalized that same year.
Christine worked at the Tupelo Mall and at the local hardware store to support the family after the divorce. Almost no records and no witnesses were found from this time in her life.
It appears that, after Wayne moved out for good, Christine developed a drinking problem and sought treatment while Joel and Ned were in high school.
Ever since the boys left home, Christine has worked as a receptionist in a doctor's office and picked up seasonal jobs at the mall during Christmas. Co-workers report that she keeps to herself, works hard, and remains intensely private.
