A Pennsylvania man was convicted Thursday of killing a former Playboy model when she refused to pay for an ounce of cocaine. Jonathan Wesley Harris, 31, was found guilty of first-degree murder for strangling 36-year-old Christina Carlin-Kraft inside her Philadelphia apartment in August 2018. “I believe justice was served,” Harris said as he left court, according to a reporter for The Mercury. Harris had pleaded not guilty to the slaying — though authorities said he described to them in gruesome detail how he battered the model. A Montgomery County court heard on Wednesday how Harris allegedly told authorities he and Carlin-Kraft had consensual sex Aug. 22 before a violent fight broke out when she refused to pay him for the drugs. The defense claimed Harris was “high out of his mind” on ketamine when he strangled Carlin-Kraft and that he never meant to kill her.<doc-sep>Article content The man who was accused of killing Playboy model Christina Carlin-Kraft in her Philadelphia home in 2018 was found guilty of her murder. Jonathan Wesley Harris’ attorney spoke exclusively to RadarOnline.com about the jury’s verdict. “It’s a gruesome case,” Harris’ attorney A. Charles Peruto, Jr. admitted to Radar. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'Gruesome case': Man found guilty of strangling Playboy model to death Back to video Photographs from the scene where presented as evidence in court and Harris confessed to the crime after his arrest. “The pictures are horrible, and he confessed, so I felt like I was trying the case with handcuffs behind my back and shackles on my feet,” Peralto Jr. said. As Radar readers know, Carlin-Kraft was strangled to death on August 22, 2018. Radar obtained surveillance footage of the suspected assailant walking alongside a woman, believed to be Carlin-Kraft, on the street. “What we know is that in the early morning hours of the 22nd, Kraft left her apartment and got a ride in a Lyft,” authorities said at the time of her death. “She was down in the city – shortly after she arrived in center city. She met with John Wesley and we learned that there was some sort of transportation that got them from Philadelphia to the Ardmore apartment that Christina lived in.”<doc-sep>Article content The man who was accused of killing Playboy model Christina Carlin-Kraft in her Philadelphia home in 2018 was found guilty of her murder. Jonathan Wesley Harris’ attorney spoke exclusively to RadarOnline.com about the jury’s verdict. “It’s a gruesome case,” Harris’ attorney A. Charles Peruto, Jr. admitted to Radar. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'GRUESOME CASE': Man found guilty of strangling Playboy model to death Back to video Photographs from the scene where presented as evidence in court and Harris confessed to the crime after his arrest. “The pictures are horrible, and he confessed, so I felt like I was trying the case with handcuffs behind my back and shackles on my feet,” Peralto Jr. said. As Radar readers know, Carlin-Kraft was strangled to death on August 22, 2018. Radar obtained surveillance footage of the suspected assailant walking alongside a woman, believed to be Carlin-Kraft, on the street. “What we know is that in the early morning hours of the 22nd, Kraft left her apartment and got a ride in a Lyft,” authorities said at the time of her death. “She was down in the city – shortly after she arrived in center city. She met with John Wesley and we learned that there was some sort of transportation that got them from Philadelphia to the Ardmore apartment that Christina lived in.”<doc-sep>The man convicted for the murder of model Christina Carlin-Kraft faces life in prison. Jonathan Harris, 31, was found guilty on Thursday of killing the 36-year-old Carlin-Kraft by strangling her in her Ardmore, Pennsylvania home. Harris did not dispute that he killed Carlin-Kraft, but claimed that it was never his intent. Harris said that things got violent after a dispute over a cocaine sale that wasn’t. He claimed that he had consensual sex with Carlin-Kraft and that she refused to pay him for cocaine. Harris said that he “panicked” when she tried to call 911 and “began choking her.” His defense also claimed that he was “high out of his mind” on ketamine and didn’t intend to kill Carlin-Kraft. “I didn’t know what to do,” he said. Harris still admitted the killing and detailed the gruesome moments in the immediate aftermath. “I covered her with a blanket because I didn’t want to see her like that. I knew she was hurt really bad,” he said in an alleged confession. “I never meant for this girl to die,” he added. “When I left the apartment, she was not dead. I would do anything to take this back.” Even Harris agreed that “justice was served” after he was convicted. He said this while reporters were gathered around. Sources say surveillance video shows a man following Christina Carlin-Kraft into the building the night before her body was discovered. Police believe he left by jumping off the balcony. https://t.co/0PMhE1jaQz pic.twitter.com/12k3VOvnem — Action News on 6abc (@6abc) August 24, 2018 The victim had done modeling work at Playboy Magazine, Maxim, Victoria’s Secret, and more. Ardmore resident Dave Farina expressed his sadness in comments to CBS3 after learning of the murder. “I’m very shocked and saddened by this homicide here. We never have that kind of thing here in Ardmore, hardly ever. It’s enough to make me cry,” he said. “I’m pretty sure that it will be resolved because this police force is second to none and I’m praying for them to find out who did this and bring them to justice.” Carlin-Kraft’s parents were pleased with the jury’s verdict, but still thought it should have been quicker than the five hours. “I’m surprised that took that long to deliberate but that’s how it should have been,” Stu Kraft said. [Image via CBS Pittsburgh screengrab] Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>
The man who was accused of killing Playboy model Christina Carlin-Kraft in her Philadelphia home in 2018 was found guilty of her murder. Jonathan Wesley Harris' attorney spoke exclusively to RadarOnline.com about the jury’s verdict. “It’s a gruesome case,” Harris’ attorney A. Charles Peruto, Jr. admitted to Radar. Photographs from the scene where presented as evidence in court and Harris confessed to the crime after his arrest. Article continues below advertisement “The pictures are horrible, and he confessed, so I felt like I was trying the case with handcuffs behind my back and shackles on my feet,” Peralto Jr. said. As Radar readers know, Carlin-Kraft was strangled to death on August 22, 2018. Radar obtained surveillance footage of the suspected assailant walking alongside a woman, believed to be Carlin-Kraft, on the street. “What we know is that in the early morning hours of the 22nd, Kraft left her apartment and got a ride in a Lyft,” authorities said at the time of her death. “She was down in the city – shortly after she arrived in center city. She met with John Wesley and we learned that there was some sort of transportation that got them from Philadelphia to the Ardmore apartment that Christina lived in.” After Harris was arrested, he confessed to the crime, telling police that he was selling Carlin-Kraft cocaine, but after they had drinks and had consensual sex, she refused to pay for the ounce of drugs and the two got into a violent fight. He then tied her up and repeatedly punched her when she tried to flee. She begged for her phone to call her father. When he gave it to her, she tried to call 911. He said that was when he choked her. He left her apartment and was on the run for a week before authorities arrested him. He pleaded not guilty to the Playboy model’s death despite the confession in court. A jury convicted him of murder, kidnapping, possession of an instrument of a crime, strangulation, robbery, theft and receiving stolen property. According to NBC 10 Philadelphia, after his guilty verdict was handed down, Harris was heard saying, "I believe justice was served."