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UW Trans homicide suspect completes first hearing; Victim revealed to be 19 y/o Juniper Blessing

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Juniper Blessing - photo credit: Instagram

King County District Court Judge Matthew York today found probable cause to hold Christopher Leahy — the suspect in the recent death of a Trans woman — for investigation of murder in the first degree with a deadly weapon enhancement, and set his bail at $10 million. 

The hearing was held at 2 p.m. in King County Jail courtroom, after Leahy turned himself in to Bellevue police at around 10:30 p.m. last night. 

“The horrific nature and brutal execution of this attack leaves the court making a finding that he’s substantially likely to commit a violent offense in the future,” Judge York said. 

The autopsy report released by the court found that “the victim had suffered over 40 stab wounds to the head, neck, shoulder, arms, and hands and had died from blood loss therefrom.”

Juniper Blessing

Court documents released after the hearing revealed that Juniper Blessing was the name of the 19-year-old Transgender victim. Several friends of Blessing told the SGN that she identified as a woman, and used both she/her and they/them pronouns. 

Blessing’s family also released a statement: 

“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.

“Juniper was courageously living their life as who they were until it was cut tragically short. Blessed with many loving friends, family members, and mentors, Juniper will be deeply missed.”

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