A Texas man, who completed a diversion program for solicitation of prostitution, has been charged with the murder of a sex worker, according to authorities.
Christopher Bernard, 25, was taken into custody on Oct. 4, after he allegedly admitted he strangled 29-year-old Cortney Hall, per a press release shared by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that was reviewed by PEOPLE. He is also charged with tampering with a corpse.
On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 2, authorities state in the press release that Harris County Sheriff’s Office patrol officers were called to an empty field in the 200 block of Assay after maintenance workers cutting grass along the roadway found Hall’s partially clothed body.
The sheriff’s office further noted that Hall’s body “appeared to have been at the location for several days and investigators began reviewing surveillance footage from the area.”
According to a probable cause for further detention order reviewed by PEOPLE, surveillance showed a “person pull up in car, take her body out and dump it.”
Per the order, an officer was able to track Bernard’s vehicle via traffic cameras.
According to the aforementioned press release, Bernard allegedly admitted to meeting with Hall, and “during this meeting (at a motel), Bernard stated that an altercation took place and he confessed to strangling Hall.”
Bernard then allegedly took Hall’s body from the motel and dumped her in tall grass near Beltway 8 where she was later discovered by the maintenance workers, according to authorities. Bernard allegedly claimed, per the reviewed probable cause for further detention order, that Hall tried to take his wallet and keys.
According to court records reviewed by PEOPLE, a solicitation of prostitution charge in 2023 was dismissed in April 2024 after Bernard completed a diversion program.
“The defendant is a clear danger to the community,” a Harris County assistant district attorney said in a motion for sufficient bail.
A court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 30 and Bernard is being held on $300,000 bail. It is unclear if he has entered a plea as of the time of publication.
