13 things about Tallahassee, Florida’s Chris Ikner

Christopher Jason “Chris” Ikner is an American man from Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, United States. The city is home to Swift Creek Middle School, Lincoln High School, Florida State University and Tallahassee State College.

BIOGRAPHY

Ikner is the only son of Jerald Lewis Ikner and Sandra “Sandy” McCarver Ikner. Jerald is Lewis Nathaniel Ikner and Helen Marie James Ikner‘s son while Sandy, who worked as a paralegal, is Lloyd Marion McCarver and Lorene Glover McCarver‘s daughter.

Jerald’s sister Janice Ikner Roberson is married to Mike Roberson. Mike and Janice’s daughter Amanda Roberson Sparkman is married to Richie Sparkman.

Chris is a father of one. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He is Jessica Ann Burdette Ikner‘s husband.
2. He and Anne-Mari Eriksen have a son who attended Swift Creek Middle School, Lincoln High School, Florida State University and Tallahassee State College.
3. Nine years before he was born, his grandfather Lloyd passed away.
4. On August 18, 2000, Eriksen gave birth to their son Christian Gunnar Eriksen.
5. From 2007 to 2023, he was in custody disputes with Eriksen and alleged that their son was neglected and abused by her.
6. In 2007, a court granted his request to not allow his son to relocate to Norway where Eriksen and their son are citizens and barred him and Eriksen from leaving Florida with their son without a court order.
7. In 2009, he told the court in Leon County that he was worried about his son because day care providers repeatedly told him his son came into school with “sour” or “dirty” clothes.
8. In 2010, he married Jessica.
9. In 2015, Eriksen was arrested on a kidnapping charge after taking their son Phoenix with her to Norway without permission and she filed a lawsuit against him, his parents and Jessica, accusing them of libel and slander.
10. His son Phoenix lived primarily with him and Jessica after Eriksen’s arrest in 2015.
11. In 2016, a judge dismissed the case Eriksen filed in 2015 against him, his parents and Jessica.
12. In 2020, his son legally changed his name from Christian Gunnar Eriksen to Phoenix Ikner.
13. In May 2024, he turned 49.

TIMELINE

Chris’s wife Jessica was a student resource deputy at Raa Middle School in Tallahassee when his son Phoenix was accused of mass shooting in 2025. She joined the Leon County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 2006.

1960s

• On May 8, 1960, his uncle Randy Lloyd McCarver died in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, USA at age 16.
• His grandfather Lloyd turned 50 on January 9, 1966 and died in his birthplace Huntsville on December 11, 1966.

1970s

• His great-grandfather Lonnie Lewis Ikner, who was born in Jeddo, Monroe County, Alabama, turned 75 on August 31, 1977 and died in Hartselle, Morgan County on October 3, 1977.
• His great-grandfather Howard Lee James, who was born in Morgan County, Alabama, USA, turned 70 on February 13, 1977 and died in Morgan County on January 12, 1978.

1980s

• His great-grandmother Allie Lisenba Ikner Greene turned 78 on February 10, 1983 and died on October 12, 1983.

1990s

• His grandfather Lewis turned 72 on October 25, 1995 and died in Decatur, Morgan County on November 22, 1995.
• His great-grandmother Mable Gretchen Sandlin James, who was born in Morgan County, turned 86 on February 27, 1997 and died on February 24, 1998.

2000s

• On October 12, 2009, Eriksen took to Facebook to share a photo of their son Phoenix with a caption, “Can’t you see I am eating my cookie, MOM? (Sporting those bright blues).”
• On October 13, 2009, Eriksen took to Facebook to share a photo of their son Phoenix with a caption, “Christian being silly in the tub, such a drama king..and such a happy boy.”

2010s

• His grandmother Lorene, who was born in Madison County, turned 93 on February 25, 2010 and died in Tallahassee on March 18, 2010.
• According to a court filing in March 2010, the court ordered that his son Phoenix undergo a psychological and psychiatric evaluation.
• On March 19, 2015, Eriksen’s mother Susan Eriksen drove Anne-Mari and their son Phoenix to Orlando, Florida and told him they were going to Disney World but they instead took a flight to Norway.
• According to a petition he and Phoenix signed in July 2015 for injunction for domestic violence against Anne-Mari, she scratched Phoenix on his knee, punched Phoenix in the chest and back and Susan took photos of the scratches.

2020s

• His grandmother Helen turned 95 on September 23, 2023 and died at Decatur Morgan Hospital in Decatur on December 2, 2023.
• On April 17, 2025, his son Phoenix allegedly used one of Jessica’s former service pistols to open fire on the main campus of Florida State University, killing two people and injuring six others.