On May 10, Juniper Blessing, a 19- year-old UW student, was found stabbed to death in her apartment building’s laundry room. Official statements have not been made regarding the circumstances or if Blessing was targeted because of her identity.
“Our family has been shattered by the loss of our child, Juniper Blessing, to an act of unspeakable violence near the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Juniper was simply the most amazing human being we have ever known – highly intelligent, extremely talented, and deeply sensitive to the needs of others. Juniper’s loss not only devastates us but diminishes the world,” Blessing’s family said in a statement through the Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance.
On May 13, Seattle Police Department publicly released images of the suspect, leading to several tips that culminated in Christopher Michael Leahy turning himself in. According to the charging documents, local surveillance footage spots a man appearing to be Leahy in the laundry room that Blessing’s body was found in immediately prior to the murder. The man appears to inspect the camera’s power cord, with the footage cutting off soon after.
Leahy would be charged with first degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement the following Thursday, May 21. This typically carries a sentence of 20.3-28.6 years. Authorities have stated there is currently no evidence of the crime being motivated by hate. Leahy has not been sentenced yet, and is currently being held on a $10 million bail.
Following the announcement and subsequent charges, Blessing’s family released the following statement, “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.” The collection of the Blessing family statements can be found on the HRA website.
