Suspect arrested in connection with killing of transgender University of Washington student

Inja News می 14, 2026 2 minutes read

A man wanted in connection with the slaying of a transgender University of Washington student surrendered to police, officials said Thursday.

Christopher Leahy, 31, turned himself in to police in nearby Bellevue at 10:42 p.m. PT on Wednesday, about 8 miles from where the slaying allegedly took place in Seattle, authorities said.

He was then transferred to the custody of Seattle homicide detectives, officials said.

The suspect was booked into “King County Jail for investigation of Murder,” according to a Seattle Police Department statement.

Telephone messages left by NBC News for several of Leah’s relatives, seeking their comments, were not immediately returned on Thursday.

Campus police were called to the Nordheim Court student housing complex at 10:10 p.m. Sunday in Seattle, and responding officers found the slain student, officials said.

Investigators said they were searching for a man, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8, “wearing a vest with a button-up shirt, and blue jeans,” police said.

Seattle police late Wednesday afternoon posted pictures of the man they were seeking. The images appear to have been taken in the laundry room.

The Seattle campus of the University of Washington has about 36,000 undergraduates, who study under a quarter system that wraps up its spring classes relatively late in the academic year.

While many colleges and universities are in finals now, Washington will not have its end-of-term exams until early June. Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for June 13.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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