Seattle's UW deadly stabbing suspect charged with murder
Man charged in UW student murder
31-year-old Christopher Leahy faces a first-degree murder charge after allegedly stabbing a 19-year-old University of Washington student more than 40 times in an off-campus apartment laundry room on May 11.
SEATTLE - The man suspected of fatally stabbing a University of Washington student inside a laundry room has officially been charged with murder.
What we know:
Christopher Michael Leahy, 31, is accused of the brutal slaying of 19-year-old Juniper Blessing on the night of May 10. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement, punishable by up to 29 years in prison.
Christopher Leahy makes his first court appearance (FOX 13 Seattle)
According to court documents, Blessing was inside the first-floor laundry room of Nordheim Court Apartments when Leahy attacked, leaving over 40 stab wounds.
Surveillance video captured Leahy at the scene just before the murder, where he looks directly into the camera. He then allegedly tracked down the camera's power cord and disconnected it.
Christopher Leahy, suspect in the fatal stabbing of a transgender University of Washington student.
Seattle Police released Leahy's photo from the surveillance footage on May 13. He turned himself in later that night.
Dig deeper:
Court documents reveal Leahy reportedly stalked other students at the same apartment complex before Blessing was killed. Leahy was also caught on security cameras at various UW campus buildings, and even tried to force open the door to a private home in the Ravenna neighborhood just days prior to the attack.
While Juniper Blessing was a transgender woman, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said it will not be seeking charges for a hate crime, as there is not enough evidence to prove the stabbing was motivated by hate.
What they're saying:
Blessing's family released the following statement regarding Leahy's charges being filed on Monday:
"We wish to thank the Seattle Police Department, their Victim Advocates, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, and the King County Medical Examiner's Office, all of whom have worked so hard and been so supportive in responding to our recent tragedy.
"Today and every day, we remain focused on our Juniper, whose loving spirit has no bounds. Juniper was a beautiful human being with a heart full of love, tolerance, talent, determination and intellectual curiosity that was a light in our world and to the world at large.
"We also wish to thank the Seattle community, whose response to this tragedy has been overwhelming, the community of Santa Fe, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities and advocates across the country who are memorializing and keeping vigil for Juniper by saying her name with love, honor, and respect. Thank you for standing beside our family as we grieve the loss of our beloved Juniper. Every gesture of support is another candle lit and another flower which blooms in Juniper's memory."
Juniper Blessing, 19, was identified as the University of Washington student who was killed in a stabbing on an off-campus apartment complex. (Human Rights Alliance)
What's next:
Leahy is being held in the King County Jail on $10 million bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, where he will enter a guilty or not guilty plea.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, court documents filed in King County Superior Court, a statement from the family of Juniper Blessing, and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.