Seattle, WA: 31 years for man who killed girlfriend, then lit cigarette and waited for police

A man who fatally stabbed his girlfriend last year while riding in a car on Interstate 5 in Seattle gets 31 years in prison.

By Jennifer Sullivan and Christine Clarridge
Seattle Times staff reporters


Christel Murphy pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder for the October 2008 stabbing death of his longtime girlfriend, Jane Kariuki, 42.

Kariuki's family asked King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson to hand down the harshest sentence possible. Rosemary Kariuki, the slain woman's mother, told the judge that she wanted to know why her daughter was murdered.

While asking Robinson for leniency, Murphy said he wasn't sure why he killed Kariuki.

Murphy, 42, has a manslaughter conviction in North Carolina and a string of assault convictions here. He served a 60-day jail sentence three years ago for third-degree domestic-violence assault after beating Kariuki, cutting her with broken glass and threatening to kill her with knives.

Seattle police said Kariuki had told Murphy earlier the day of the slaying that he would have to move out of the Kent residence they shared.

"It just got bigger than I thought I could handle," Murphy said about his relationship with Kariuki. "I don't know. I don't know. This is just not me."

Kariuki was riding in the front seat of a car driven by another man on Oct. 16, 2008, when Murphy, who was in the back seat, reached forward, put her in a headlock and stabbed her repeatedly in the face and chest, according to police and King County prosecutors.

The driver of the car pulled over and called 911 while Murphy got out of the vehicle, threw the knife on the ground, lit a cigarette and calmly sat down on the guardrail to wait for police, according to court documents.

At least two no-contact orders had been issued in an attempt to protect Kariuki from Murphy, but in 2007 Kariuki successfully petitioned the court to lift the order issued earlier.

Prosecutors had asked for a 32-year prison sentence. Defense attorney Paula Peach asked the judge for a sentence of about 22 years.

Murphy's mother, brother and aunt also spoke during the sentencing, each asking for leniency.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published November 20, 2009, and corrected November 20, 2009, incorrectly stated the number of years Murphy received in sentencing. He was sentenced to 31 years in prison.



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