A 31-year-old Bellevue man accused of fatally stabbing a University of Washington student more than 40 times inside a campus housing laundry room has been ordered held on $10 million bail after prosecutors argued the killing was premeditated and extraordinarily violent.
Documents obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI reveal new disturbing details in the May 10 homicide of 19-year-old Juniper Blessing, a transgender UW student born Michael Carneiro, who was found murdered at Nordheim Court, a UW-affiliated housing complex in Seattle.
"Juniper’s loss not only devastates us but diminishes the world."
The family of Juniper Blessing has released this statement + photos, in the wake of their beloved child's death. @komonews
(Courtesy: Santa Fe Pride & Human Rights Alliance) https://t.co/J1fHRN8gUR pic.twitter.com/na3RcFOwlb— Tyler Cunnington KOMO (@TyCunningtonTV) May 15, 2026
Christopher M. Leahy appeared in court Thursday for a first appearance hearing after turning himself in to Bellevue police late Wednesday night alongside his parents. Prosecutors asked the court to find probable cause for first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and requested $10 million bail.
NEW: Christopher Leahy, the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old UW student, just appeared in court & a judge set his bail at $10 million.
According to prosecutors, the victim had 40 stab wounds & a judge found probable cause for murder in the first degree. https://t.co/Ko0vyIDnCd
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 14, 2026
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Don Raz told the court the victim suffered “over 40 stab wounds” during the attack. According to court documents, King County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. J. Matthew Lacy determined Blessing sustained more than 40 stab wounds to the head, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands and died from blood loss.
Raz argued that under Washington law, premeditation does not require an elaborate long-term plan, only more than “a moment in point of time.”
Defense attorney Todd Maybrown argued there was insufficient evidence to support probable cause for first-degree murder and asked for a lower “substantial but reasonable” bail amount, noting Leahy voluntarily surrendered to police.
The judge ultimately sided with prosecutors, finding probable cause for first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and imposing the full $10 million bail request. The court also ordered standard release conditions should Leahy post bond, including remaining in Washington state and committing no new law violations.
BREAKING: 31-year-old Christopher Leahy turned himself in to Bellevue police at 10:20 pm Weds night, interviewed by SPD & booked for the murder of a 19-year-old UW student.
He reportedly has a history of 'crises' & surrendered after being urged to do so by his family. https://t.co/Ko0vyIDnCd pic.twitter.com/VIQVdvan5U
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 14, 2026
While acknowledging Leahy turned himself in, the judge said, “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.”
According to Seattle police investigative documents filed in court, UW police responded to Nordheim Court around 10:11 p.m. on May 10 after a resident discovered Blessing lying in a pool of blood inside the first-floor laundry room of Building 7.
Witnesses told investigators they had seen a suspicious man wandering around the apartment complex shortly before the murder. One resident reported the suspect followed her into the laundry room around 10 p.m., claimed he was “waiting for his laundry,” and appeared to scan the room for surveillance cameras before leaving.
Another resident saw a man standing inside Building 7 looking out through the glass entry door moments before the murder. The witness described him as a light-skinned black or Asian male wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt.
Investigators later recovered surveillance footage from a Wyze camera inside the laundry room after discovering its power cord had been disconnected. Seattle police video specialists were able to retrieve footage stored on the device’s SD card, which prosecutors say captured the suspect inside the laundry room shortly before the killing.
The footage allegedly showed the suspect staring directly at the surveillance camera and visually tracing the power cord with his eyes moments before the camera feed stopped. The final footage showed Blessing alone in the laundry room shortly before the murder occurred. Police say no one else was seen entering the laundry room before the 911 call reporting the stabbing.
NEW: Seattle Police are looking for the suspect in the May 10 murder of a University of Washington student.
The suspect is a light-skinned black male approximately 5’7”, thin build, wearing a long-sleeve dark blue full zip shirt with a light triangle style emblem inside a circle… pic.twitter.com/1B9WBQgqvf
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 14, 2026
After Seattle police publicly released surveillance images of the suspect, detectives received multiple tips identifying Leahy. One of the tips came from Leahy’s own brother, Patrick Leahy, who reportedly told detectives he had “no doubt” the man in the surveillance images was Christopher Leahy.
Another tip came from a former school acquaintance who provided detectives with a video message previously sent by Leahy. Investigators said the man in the video matched the individual captured on the laundry room surveillance footage.
DEVELOPING: The suspect in the fatal stabbing of a UW student reportedly turned himself in last night
A quick search of jail records reveals questions about what the motive may have been. More to come https://t.co/Ko0vyIDnCd
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) May 14, 2026
According to the probable cause statement, Bellevue police received a call from Leahy’s attorney around 10:27 p.m. Wednesday advising that Leahy intended to surrender. He was arrested and later booked into the King County Jail for investigation of first-degree murder.
The documents list Leahy as a 31-year-old Black male from Bellevue with no prior cases referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
According to the King County Medical Examiner’s office report this afternoon: 19-year-old Juniper Blessing has been identified as the victim of the stabbing.
A memorial for the student, who is transgender, has been growing in UW’s Red Square this week. @komonews https://t.co/KHmPp2HeU3 pic.twitter.com/DMFkkk4irX
— Tyler Cunnington KOMO (@TyCunningtonTV) May 14, 2026
Seattle police previously described Blessing as a 19-year-old transgender female student living at Nordheim Court. UW President Robert J. Jones said earlier this week that violence targeting transgender individuals can be especially concerning for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The killing also unfolded amid heightened tensions on campus surrounding a Turning Point USA event featuring detransitioner Chloe Cole. TPUSA at UW later released a statement postponing the event, condemning the murder, and rejecting efforts by activists to associate the conservative student group with the killing.
King County prosecutors said they expect to receive a formal felony referral from Seattle police by Monday, May 18, at which point prosecutors will decide whether to formally charge Leahy.
