Police: Body Found is St. Davids Man

Radnor Police Department is confirming that the body of an African-American man found Wednesday is that of St. Davids resident Gerald "Chris" Christopher.

According to a June 15 report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, a decapitated body belonging to what appears to be a black male was found that morning in the rock bed of a creek behind Crum Creek Valley Condominiums in nearby Wallingford, Pennsylvania. Investigators later found the head, as well as a noose, across the creek.

The Nether Providence Township police confirmed that the body had some similarities to Christopher's—who has a tribal tattoo on his right bicep. A call to Merat was not returned.

Christopher, who owned Wayne exercise center , went missing in the early morning hours of June 1. His fiancee Roxy Merat, a trainer at Deep Cuts, told news outlets that he had been acting bizarre and displaying signs of paranoia in the days leading up to his disappearance—claiming that they were in danger and abruptly leaving a Memorial Day party when a fellow guest frightened him.

Ray Kleposki, a nurse-practitioner and small business owner who served as best man at Christopher's wedding, told Patch that his friend had had financial problems.

"At one point, he said he wasn't doing so well," said Kleposki, who added that one year Christopher had to move five times because of money problems. "And about a year ago the bank repossessed his car. But this year he said he was doing great. He had a ton of new clients and said he was making money."

Merat, in a conversation with the Inquirer, painted a similar picture. She said Christopher had lost a house and two cars to repossession and owed $50,000 in back taxes, but that their financial fortunes seemed to be improving.

Kleposki added that Christopher had personal problems as well. He lost a sister two years ago, has two children—a 22-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son—from previous relationships, and, despite separating three years ago, is still legally married to the mother of his son because, Kleposki said, neither party can afford a divorce.

Despite his friend's troubles, Kleposki said he saw no indication that Christopher was mentally ill or even overwhelmed.

"I didn't see any behaviors that indicate somebody who was bipolar or schizophrenic," the nurse said. "People have said he was acting paranoid, but I've never seen Chris like that. Through his financial problems, his marriage problems, when his sister died. I've never seen him act like that."