Overview
- King County Superior Court Judge Joe Campagna ruled on June 29 that 31-year-old Christopher Leahy is not mentally competent to stand trial and ordered up to 90 days of restoration treatment at Western State Hospital.
- Leahy faces a charge of premeditated first-degree murder in the May death of 19-year-old University of Washington student Juniper Blessing, who was found fatally stabbed in an off-campus laundry room.
- Prosecutors allege a premeditated, apparently random attack in which Leahy stalked another resident and then encountered Blessing, and court filings say video from the scene is part of the evidence under review.
- A mental competency expert asked for extra time to review case materials before the hearing, and the next court date to reassess competency and next steps is set for September 24.
- Blessing’s death has intensified local debate over off-campus student safety and protections for transgender students and the case’s future will hinge on whether doctors restore Leahy’s competency, which could lead to trial, dismissal of charges, or civil treatment.