Woman fatally stabbed shopper in mall parking structure because she needed money for daughter's cheerleading trip: Prosecutors

California prosecutors said that a pistillate accused of stabbing a retired caregiver to decease successful a promenade parking operation was looking for wealth truthful she could nonstop her girl connected a cheerleading trip.

Opening statements were presented successful Torrance Superior Court connected Wednesday successful the murder trial of 47-year-old Cherie Lynette Townsend, according to courtroom reporting by Daily Breeze, a section quality outlet. Prosecutors said Townsend is liable for the fatal stabbing of 66-year-old Susan Leeds, a retired nurse, who was recovered bleeding successful her Mercedes-Benz SUV connected May 3, 2018. Leeds had conscionable finished a buying travel astatine the Promenade connected the Peninsula promenade successful Rolling Hills, California. She died minutes aft she was found.

Townsend had besides been buying determination that day, and her golden sedan was seen leaving the aforesaid parking operation wherever Leeds was recovered bleeding to death.

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According to prosecutors, Townsend was experiencing fiscal difficulties successful the days earlier Leeds' decease and posted astir her troubles connected societal media. One circumstantial constituent of contention was a cheerleading travel to Florida for her then-14-year-old daughter. Prosecutors said that Townsend offered to bring 2 of her daughter's friends with them connected the trip, and the friends each gave Townsend $350 for their tickets. But according to prosecutors, those tickets were ne'er purchased.

A transgression ailment obtained by a section Patch newsman retired of Palos Verdes, California, said that investigators spoke to the wide manager of the cheerleading squad that Townsend's girl was on. The manager told investigators that Townsend had been penning checks that kept bouncing, and she had been asked to supply currency oregon cashier's checks to wage for squad fees.

The ailment stated that Townsend had utilized Google to hunt for antithetic ways to get money, including duplicating recognition cards, robbing coin-operated washing machines, personage donations, and adjacent uncovering a "sugar daddy." Prosecutors besides cited Google searches for Promenade connected the Peninsula and gyms successful the area.

In court, prosecutors said that Townsend wanted to commencement a GoFundMe to rise wealth for the trip, but she thought her children would beryllium embarrassed.

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Prosecutors contended that Townsend laic successful hold for 2 hours for Leeds to instrumentality to her SUV. When Leeds got backmost from buying astatine The Gap and getting takeout food, Townsend allegedly stabbed the retired caregiver 17 times successful the cervix and torso. Leeds' achromatic purse, which she was seen carrying connected surveillance video, was gone. She was inactive wearing her jewelry.

According to prosecutors and the transgression complaint, Townsend's telephone was recovered nether Leeds' car. Prosecutors further stated that Leeds' telephone pinged disconnected towers successful the wide country wherever Townsend was seen heading aft the alleged attack. In the complaint, a homicide researcher stated that they identified the telephone nether Leeds' car arsenic Townsend's erstwhile they saw a photograph of her connected the phone.

Townsend, who was interviewed by constabulary successful the days aft Leeds' death, told detectives that she knew she near her telephone successful the parking operation but did not cognize where. She reportedly visited a Verizon store to effort to find her phone.

Police seized Townsend's car arsenic evidence, but did not find immoderate of Leeds' belongings, nor did they find a execution weapon. Townsend was arrested connected May 17, 2018, successful transportation with Leeds' homicide, but was released days later. She aboriginal sued the region and repeatedly claimed her innocence, including successful an interrogation successful September 2018 to section NBC affiliate KNBC.

Another antheral was besides arrested successful the aboriginal days of the investigation, but was cleared arsenic a suspect.

Five years aft Leeds' death, successful August 2023, Townsend was arrested again. Her defence lawyer argued successful tribunal connected Monday that determination was nary grounds connecting Townsend to Leeds' death, and Townsend's DNA was excluded from 40 samples taken astatine the scene.

Townsend's lawyer said determination were "a batch of questions that the prosecution can't answer, and that is tenable doubt."

Townsend was charged with execution erstwhile she was rearrested successful 2023.