Content warning: This article contains graphic details of violence, fatal stabbing injuries and death.
For most people, college is a stepping stone to building their lives on their own terms and an opportunity to find themselves. However, those dreams were abruptly shattered for Juniper Blessing, a University of Washington student.
Blessing, 19, was found dead inside the laundry room of Nordheim Court Apartments on Sunday night (May 10). According to the NY Post, she was stabbed more than 40 times by Christopher Leahy, 31, in under 10 minutes. According to the King County Medical Examiner, Blessing had stab wounds to her head, shoulders, neck arms, and hands.
Reportedly, Leahy had been seen wandering around the apartment building before the attack. He also disconnected a security camera after noticing that his moves were being captured.
View this post on Instagram
However, a Seattle Police digital specialist recovered the missing footage from the camera’s SD card directly, despite the tampering. Multiple people identified Leahy, including his brother.
After the surveillance images from the building were publicly released, Leahy turned himself in to Bellevue police on Tuesday (May 13).
The restored footage showed that Blessing and another student were using the shared laundry room when Leahy entered and exited the area multiple times. Police said he followed Blessing into the room shortly before 9 p.m., tampered with the camera about a minute later, and left before the victim’s body was discovered around 10:10 p.m.
The police also revealed that another student unknowingly held the laundry room open for Leahy as he exited the area after murdering Blessing. He even thanked the student for holding the door open as he left him or her to discover Blessing’s bloodied body. The student then called 911.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Don Raz said the injuries demonstrated clear premeditation, as prosecutors argued that the number of stab wounds showed clear intent to kill. There’s no evidence that Blessing was specifically targeted.
Many students reported that Leahy lurked around the off-campus building, and at least one female student accused him of following her.
Meanwhile, Leahy’s defense attorney, Todd Maybrown, disputed that claim and pushed for a second-degree murder charge instead.
According to Komo News, a judge ruled the probable cause for first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. Leahy’s bail amount is set at $10 million despite Maybrown arguing that he’s not a flight risk and the bail should be lowered. The judge instead stated that the severity of the crime justified keeping bail at $10 million.
View this post on Instagram
The killing sent shockwaves through the University of Washington community, with concerned parents and students worried about their safety. University of Washington President Robert Jones stated that although the arrest brings some relief, it cannot lessen the shock and grief the university is experiencing.
“I hope the arrest brings some sense of relief to our community. But this arrest does not lessen the profound shock and grief that the victim’s loved ones and our campus are still experiencing, or bring back a beloved, promising and talented member of our university.”
Students even set up a memorial for Blessing with flowers and notes. Blessing’s family also released a statement mourning her loss. They described her as “simply the most amazing human being we have ever known — highly intelligent, extremely talented, and deeply sensitive to the needs of others.”
