People die every day, so when a bogus report began circulating on Facebook claiming NFL Network reporter Jane Slater had died following a “tragic domestic violence incident,” some people took it as fact. But while it wasn't true, it seems like it could have been tied to a very real, tragic murder-suicide that was discovered on December 16.
On December 20, a post from an account called Star Nation reported that a veteran reporter who covered the Dallas Cowboys passed away due to domestic violence, leaving behind a 5-year-old child. "Her years of dedicated work, along with the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding her death, have left loyal fans stunned, devastated, and praying for her and her family," it concluded.
It included a black and white photo of Slater, along with the words "BREAKING NEWS 1980-2025." One of Slater's fans saw the post and shared a screenshot on X, formerly known as Twitter, asking, "Did you pass away??"
The very much alive reporter responded, "I don’t think so? But does this mean there is a glitch in the matrix? I’m gonna wrap myself in bubble wrap until NYE." She was back on TV screens reporting on Sunday.
Slater also shared a screenshot of DailyMail's article on her Instagram story with The X-Files’ theme song writing, “Reality is losing the plot lately." “I'm ready to go off-grid on my animal rescue farm. Even if fake, seeing your name in ‘obit form’ [is a] little too weird for me.”
So where did the story come from?
While the post itself was fabricated, it appears the misinformation may have stemmed from confusion with a very real and devastating tragedy out of Alabama.
Earlier this week, Christina Chambers, a former WBRC 6 sports reporter, and her husband Johnny Rimes were found dead inside their Hoover, Alabama home in what police believe was a murder-suicide.
The couple’s 3-year-old son was inside the home at the time but was unharmed. According to reports, the child led his grandfather into the house after Chambers and Rimes failed to show up for a scheduled church event, leading to the horrific discovery.
The neighbor, Charles Maple, told People, "I knew them from when they were dating each other to when they got married, they were happy ... to an absolute tragic ending." The neighbor told the outlet that things recently changed, and he "felt something wasn't right." "I was aware somewhat, from time to time, I would talk to Christina and ... you can sort of read people sometimes, but I didn't want to dwell into that," he explained.
It’s a tragic story about domestic violence, and somewhere along the way, that real news appears to have been twisted, repackaged, and falsely attached to Slater’s name. Whether it was done on purpose or AI made a big mistake is unclear.
Watching a violent, fatal story generate clicks is a grim reminder of how reckless misinformation has become.
If you’re experiencing domestic violence or know someone who is, support is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233 or at thehotline.org. It’s confidential, free, and available 24/7 in over 170 languages.