The man found dead early Sunday, Nov. 19, after allegedly killing three adult women and a 13-year-old girl and critically injuring a 15-year-old girl had a past that involved state charges of attempted second-degree murder and domestic assault and federal charges of being a felon in possession of a handgun.

Two of the previous assault charges stemmed from events that occurred at the address belonging to his estranged wife near the Whitehaven area.

According to court records, Mavis Christian Jr. was charged in 2018 for aggravated assault, domestic assault resulting in bodily harm, theft of property of $1,000 or less and vandalism $1,000-$2,500.

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According to an affidavit, Mavis Christian Jr. assaulted his wife Tawanda Christian and his 16-year-old daughter Monica Christian Jr. at 196 Howard Drive. That address was also the site of one of the fatal shootings Saturday, Nov. 18, according to a Memphis Police Department press release.

On Feb. 4, 2018, Tawanda Christian told police she and her estranged husband, Mavis Christian Jr., were arguing over her putting him out of the house.

According to the affidavit, Tawanda Christian told police Mavis Christian Jr. punched her three times in the face, which caused her to lose consciousness and fall to the floor.

She told police Mavis Christian Jr. continued to hit her when two of their children, her 16-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son, came out with a bat to help her.

Mavis Christian Jr. punched the daughter in the face and took the bat and then hit Tawanda Christian in the head with it, according to the affidavit.

Tawanda Christian ran into a neighbor’s home, and Mavis Christian Jr. went inside her home and damaged three windows, two TVs and a computer with the bat.

Mavis Christian Jr. also damaged the front windshield and both passenger side windows of her vehicle and left with his wife’s purse, which had $200 in cash and her cellphone inside.

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According to the affidavit, Mavis Christian Jr. lived in Marion, Arkansas, at the time of the 2018 assault.

He was issued a $15,000 bail and posted bond. His bail conditions included that he was prohibited from contacting the victims either directly or indirectly, was prohibited from use of alcohol or controlled substances, prohibited from using a firearm and had a GPS tracker.

Court records show the case was sent to a grand jury for indictment.

Marvis Christian Jr. was convicted of aggravated assault and vandalism and received a three-year sentence at 30%, according to Justin Brown, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Correction. Christian’s sentence was effective in 2018 and expired in 2020.

Due to past felony convictions, Mavis Christian Jr. would not have been able to legally buy or own a firearm, like the one used in the Saturday, Nov. 18, shootings.

“As the investigation continues, that will certainly be something we look into,” Memphis Police Department spokesperson Christopher Williams said.

On Feb. 5, 2018, a warrant for Mavis Christian Jr.’s arrest was issued by the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Tennessee for the 2018 domestic assault charges.

On June 25, 2008, Mavis Christian Jr. pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Tennessee to a 2007 charge of felon in possession of a firearm. According to a redacted indictment, he possessed three spent .380 caliber shell casings.

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He was sentenced to a term of 120 months followed by two years supervised release for the 2008 charges.

A filing in the U.S. Court states he shall not commit another federal, state or local crime. If he did, the term of his supervision was to be revoked.

His supervised release was revoked, and Mavis Christian Jr. was committed to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for another 16 months with no additional supervised release.

Mavis Christian Jr. was also charged on the state level with a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault causing bodily harm at 196 Howard Drive in 2004.

According to an affidavit, on Nov. 5, 2004, Mavis Christian dragged his girlfriend out of the shower and threw her on the bed, causing her to hit the wall and the floor. According to the affidavit, they had three children together.

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Records show the case went to trial but do not show whether he was convicted or what sentence he served.

In October 2007, Mavis Christian Jr. was charged with criminal attempt of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and vandalism $500-$1,000.

An affidavit does not show details, but court records show the charges were dropped in 2009.

Court records show he also was charged with a misdemeanor assault in 2000, but it was dropped.

In 1997, he was found guilty of reckless endangerment and served two years in the Shelby County Department of Corrections with three years of supervision.

He was also found guilty in 1991 of disorderly conduct.

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