A mother of two was found guilty by a court of fatally stabbing a retired nurse to obtain money for her daughter’s cheerleading camp expenses.
Cherie Townsend, aged 47, murdered 66-year-old Susan Leeds on May 3, 2018, in the parking area of a shopping center in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Townsend viciously attacked Leeds, stabbing her 17 times during an attempted robbery.
After a prolonged legal battle spanning seven years, Townsend has been convicted. Initially asserting her innocence and alleging unfair targeting by law enforcement, she has now been found guilty.
Following the killing in May 2018, Townsend was first arrested when her phone was discovered at the crime scene. However, she was released six days later as prosecutors required more evidence. Subsequently, Townsend sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, claiming racial discrimination, emotional distress, false imprisonment, and detention.
In an interview during that time, Townsend expressed living in fear and hiding, believing she would be unjustly targeted. She was re-arrested in August 2023 after five years and charged with murder. On Thursday, December 4, she was found guilty of first-degree murder.
Initially, Townsend claimed she was at the mall for her son’s prom when Leeds was killed, but she could not explain why her phone was discovered under the victim’s car. Records showed Townsend was in need of $2,000 and expressed distress over her financial situation.
Despite maintaining her innocence throughout, Townsend’s public defender argued during the trial that no direct evidence linked her to the crime. Notably, there were no fingerprints, DNA, witnesses, or video footage connecting her to the murder.
However, the jurors concluded that Townsend was responsible for using a knife to take Leeds’ life. Fred Leeds, Susan Leeds’ stepson, emphasized the impact of the murder on many lives, praising his stepmother’s kindness and stating that she did not deserve such a brutal end.
Townsend faces a sentence of over 20 years in prison and will be sentenced on January 23, 2026.
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