The body of 36-year-old former Playboy model Christina Carlin-Kraft was found in her Philadelphia condominium Wednesday night. An autopsy indicated she had been murdered by strangulation. CBS Philadelphia reports that she was discovered by Lower Merion Township Police when they responded to a request for a welfare check about 9:15 p.m. that night. It’s not known who called or why they believed the welfare check was needed. Her family has confirmed the body is Kraft and have described this experience as a horror story.
Police have not named any suspects at this time, but surveillance video of Kraft’s building shows an unknown man following her into the building Tuesday night. Officials believe he left the building through a balcony. A few days prior to her death, the model reported that some items had been stolen from her residence. Some of those items, including jewelry and designer handbags, were recovered early Wednesday morning from a home in Southwest Philadelphia according to Heavy . They don’t yet know whether the theft and her homicide are connected in any way.
Christina Carlin-Kraft ran into some legal problems a couple of years ago when she was charged with assaulting a man while she was drunk. Charges alleged that she struck Sergey Anokhin, the manager of a fine dining restaurant in Manhattan’s Upper West side, in the neck. Records indicate that she and her male companion didn’t want to pay their bill for some unknown reason. Anokhin also claimed that she kicked him in the groin. Charges that were brought against Kraft included misdemeanor assault, attempted assault, and harassment. The charges were dropped on the condition that she stay out of trouble for the following six months.
Former Playboy model Christina Carlin-Kraft found strangled inside her home, sources say https://t.co/xfRLx7df4V pic.twitter.com/PZOD7YJw9W
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 24, 2018
Kraft’s booking page indicates she was of “Russian and German background with a hint of Swedish.” She also describes a shoot for Playboy as “tasteful” and “beyond Hollywood glamour.” She was the magazine’s Cyber Girl of the Week on May 4, 2009. On her booking page, Kraft expressed a desire to pursue work with “more creative photographers who specialize in glamour and very high fashion” as well as “swim wear and tastefull lingerie.”
Police indicate that there is no threat to those living near the area where Kraft was killed so there is no cause for concern. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information they believe may be helpful to investigators is asked to call either the police at 610-649-1000 or the Montgomery County Detective Bureau at 610-278-3368.
