Seattle Police Hunt UW Student Stabber

Seattle police said they identified a suspect on May 13 in the killing of Juniper Blessing, a 19-year-old University of Washington student who was found stabbed to death three days earlier in a laundry room at Nordheim Court, an off-campus student housing complex near the Seattle campus. Officers were called to the building at about 10:10 p.m. on May 10 after a report of a stabbing, according to the Seattle Police Department. Police said the suspect was still at large when detectives first released his description and asked the public for help. By May 14, Seattle police said a 31-year-old man had surrendered to Bellevue police and was booked into King County Jail for investigation of murder. ### Where did the killing happen, and what did police say they found? Nordheim Court, at 5000 25th Avenue Northeast, was the scene of the killing, Seattle police said in their initial account. Officers found Blessing dead in a laundry room in Building 7, according to police and local television reports. Seattle Fire Department personnel and police attempted lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, Seattle police said. (spdblotter.seattle.gov) The University of Washington uses Nordheim Court as off-campus undergraduate housing, and residents told local outlets they received late-night alerts telling them to lock doors and windows. A university spokesperson told FOX 13 the school would not publicly confirm the student’s identity until family members had been notified. ### Who was Juniper Blessing? (spdblotter.seattle.gov) Juniper Blessing was a 19-year-old transgender woman and University of Washington student, according to Seattle police coverage and statements released through the Santa Fe Pride and Human Rights Alliance. KOMO reported that Blessing was from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and that the alliance issued a statement on behalf of her family after her death. (fox13seattle.com) The family statement described “profound shock and heartbreak” and asked for privacy as relatives and community members grieved. The alliance said the family also thanked first responders, investigators, university staff and others who had offered support. (komonews.com) ### What did investigators say about the suspect before the arrest? Seattle police said the suspect was a Black man, roughly 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a beard, wearing jeans and a button-up shirt when officers first sought public help. A later police update gave a more detailed description, saying the suspect was about 5 feet 7 inches tall with a thin build, darker-rimmed glasses, short black hair and a goatee, and was wearing a dark blue zip shirt over a white collared shirt and dirty blue jeans. (komonews.com) Police told the public to call 911 if they saw him. Detective Eric Munoz told KOMO on May 11 that the suspect should be considered “armed and dangerous,” though police said at that stage they did not believe anyone else was at risk. FOX 13 reported investigators were reviewing surveillance footage and working to determine whether the attack was targeted or random. (spdblotter.seattle.gov) ### What changed after police released the suspect photos? May 13 was the day Seattle police publicly released suspect photos and asked for help identifying the man. Later that same day, according to the department’s May 14 update, a 31-year-old man surrendered to the Bellevue Police Department and was transferred to Seattle homicide detectives. Seattle police said he was booked into King County Jail for investigation of murder. (komonews.com) KOMO later identified the suspect as Christopher Leahy and reported that he was accused of first-degree murder. KOMO also reported, citing court documents, that the King County Medical Examiner found Blessing suffered more than 40 stab wounds to the head, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. (spdblotter.seattle.gov) ### What can readers verify next as the case moves forward? Seattle police said anyone with additional information should call the violent crimes tip line at 206-233-5000, and the department said anonymous tips are accepted. King County’s court-records pages direct the public to search criminal case information online or by phone, which is where future hearing dates and filings would typically appear. (komonews.com) King County jail and court systems, along with additional Seattle police blotter updates, are the next public checkpoints for the case. As of the police update published May 14, the suspect had been booked for investigation of murder; subsequent charging decisions and court dates are being tracked through King County records and local court reporting. (spdblotter.seattle.gov)