SEATTLE, Washington — A 31-year-old man accused of brutally stabbing a University of Washington student to death in a laundry room has been formally charged with first-degree murder.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed charges against Christopher Leahy on Monday, May 18, in connection with the death of 19-year-old Juniper Blessing.
Blessing was killed on Sunday, May 10, at an off-campus housing complex near the university.
More Than 40 Stab Wounds
According to charging documents, Leahy inflicted over 40 stab wounds on Blessing, who was doing laundry alone at the apartment complex when the attack occurred.
Prosecutors described the killing as “vicious,” saying Blessing was murdered “innocently” while carrying out an everyday task.
The sheer brutality of the attack has shaken the University of Washington community and sparked widespread grief across Seattle.
Surveillance and Tracking Data Linked Leahy to the Scene
Leahy is not a UW student and was not a resident of Seattle at the time of the murder.
Despite that, charging documents allege that tracking apps and video recordings placed him inside campus buildings and near private homes in the Ravenna neighborhood before the killing.
Surveillance footage also reportedly showed him back near the murder scene two days after Blessing was killed.
He Allegedly Stalked Others Before the Attack
Witness accounts and court records paint a disturbing picture of what happened in the minutes before the murder.
Prosecutors allege that Leahy stalked at least one other UW student across the apartment complex before ending up in the same room as Blessing.
The documents suggest the attack was not random — that Leahy was moving through the complex with intent before the fatal encounter.
What Leahy Faces If Convicted
The charge against Leahy carries a potential sentence of 264 to 344 months — or roughly 22 to 28.6 years in prison.
That breaks down into 240 to 320 months for the murder conviction itself and an additional 24 months for the deadly weapon enhancement.
Prosecutors have also stated there is currently no evidence to suggest the murder was motivated by hate.
“That’s the determination by both police investigators and multiple senior deputy prosecutors after an independent review,” the attorney’s office said, adding that if new evidence emerges, additional charges could be considered.
Arraignment Set for May 21
Leahy is scheduled to appear at the King County Courthouse for his arraignment on Thursday, May 21.
The case has drawn intense attention from the UW community, local residents, and student safety advocates — many of whom are demanding answers about how a non-resident with no known connection to the campus gained repeated access to university buildings and private housing.
Juniper Blessing was 19 years old. They were doing laundry.
Do you think enough is being done to protect students living off campus? Share your thoughts in the comments — this conversation matters.
