Medical Examiner Identifies Juniper Blessing After UW Killing

The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified juniper blessing, a University of Washington student found fatally stabbed Sunday night in a laundry room at Nordheim Court. A suspect is in custody after turning himself in to the Bellevue Police Department on Wednesday night, following the release of security camera images.

Nordheim Court Identification

Blessing was a transgender woman, and the Trans Collective at UW said, "Trans women, particularly trans women of color, are among the most vulnerable populations to violent crimes." The office's identification gives a name to the victim in a case that has drawn attention from the local LGBTQ community.

Officials have not yet released details about the circumstances leading up to the crime. They have also not said whether Blessing was targeted because of her identity, leaving the public record limited to the location of the killing, the arrest sequence, and the victim's identity.

UW Seattle Response

The Trans Collective and Gender Justice League will host a community healing event on May 16 at 4 p.m. in Sylvan Grove on the university's Seattle campus. The Trans Collective said, "Our community is still grieving deeply and TCUW will be offering a place to support processing these emotions. It is our priority to respect the victim’s privacy and the family’s wishes, so this event will be catered towards those most affected by the recent news. All Transgender & Gender-Expansive folks and allied community members are welcome to attend."

The family requested that media not attend the event, setting a clear boundary around who should be there and how the gathering should function. For people connected to UW or the local trans community, the immediate next step is the May 16 gathering, where support is being organized around the loss rather than around the criminal case.