Aggravated murder charges filed in South Park attack
King County prosecutors have paved the way for the death penalty in Seattle's South Park stabbing case. They filed charges against Isaiah Kalebu on Wednesday, making him eligible for execution.
Investigators say Kalebu killed Teresa Butz and tried to stab her partner to death. The 23-year-old is suspected of breaking into the women's South Park home through an open window while they slept. Prosecutors say the women woke up to find Kalebu standing over their bed, naked and holding a knife.
According to court documents, Kalebu told the women if they cooperated with his demands for sex, they wouldn't get hurt.
"And for the next 90 minutes, this intruder repeatedly raped and tortured the women, threatening to kill them if they did not comply with his sadistic demands," said King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg.
Prosecutors say Kalebu raped one victim while he cut the other. Realizing they would be killed, Butz attacked the suspect to save the woman she loved.
"The intruder hit her in the mouth, breaking her front teeth, and then he stabbed Teresa in the arm and in the chest," Satterberg said. "Teresa Butz summoned the strength to throw a chair through a window and dove out that window."
Butz died in the street from her wounds. However, the distraction she caused by tossing the chair gave her partner enough time to escape out the front door.
Witnesses say Kalebu also went running. Police captured him five days later after launching a massive manhunt.
Kalebu is also a person of interest in a suspicious fire that killed two people in Pierce County on July 9. Kalebu was living in the home, and his aunt died in the fire.
On Wednesday prosecutors filed a series of charges against Kalebu, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, rape and burglary. The count of aggravated murder gives prosecutors the option to seek execution. They have 30 days after Kalebu's August 12 arraignment to formally decide. They will also look at claims that Kalebu is mentally ill as they consider the death penalty.
Albert Barrientes, who lives next door to the women attacked in South Park, says Kalebu should get the harshest punishment possible.
"I think he should get the death penalty. I think he should because it was a cruel, cruel death," Barrientes said.
Investigators say Kalebu killed Teresa Butz and tried to stab her partner to death. The 23-year-old is suspected of breaking into the women's South Park home through an open window while they slept. Prosecutors say the women woke up to find Kalebu standing over their bed, naked and holding a knife.
According to court documents, Kalebu told the women if they cooperated with his demands for sex, they wouldn't get hurt.
"And for the next 90 minutes, this intruder repeatedly raped and tortured the women, threatening to kill them if they did not comply with his sadistic demands," said King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg.
Prosecutors say Kalebu raped one victim while he cut the other. Realizing they would be killed, Butz attacked the suspect to save the woman she loved.
"The intruder hit her in the mouth, breaking her front teeth, and then he stabbed Teresa in the arm and in the chest," Satterberg said. "Teresa Butz summoned the strength to throw a chair through a window and dove out that window."
Butz died in the street from her wounds. However, the distraction she caused by tossing the chair gave her partner enough time to escape out the front door.
Witnesses say Kalebu also went running. Police captured him five days later after launching a massive manhunt.
Kalebu is also a person of interest in a suspicious fire that killed two people in Pierce County on July 9. Kalebu was living in the home, and his aunt died in the fire.
On Wednesday prosecutors filed a series of charges against Kalebu, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, rape and burglary. The count of aggravated murder gives prosecutors the option to seek execution. They have 30 days after Kalebu's August 12 arraignment to formally decide. They will also look at claims that Kalebu is mentally ill as they consider the death penalty.
Albert Barrientes, who lives next door to the women attacked in South Park, says Kalebu should get the harshest punishment possible.
"I think he should get the death penalty. I think he should because it was a cruel, cruel death," Barrientes said.
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