Nikki Kuhnhausen death: Transgender teen’s murder launches nationwide movement, inspires new law news

[This story previously aired on December 18, 2021.]

Prosecutors say Nikki Kuhnhausen, 17, vanished from Vancouver, Washington, in June 2019, simply hours after assembly David Bogdanov, then 25, and exchanging messages on Snapchat.

Four months later in a gathering with police, Bogdanov informed them the final time he had seen Kuhnhausen was when he requested her to get out of his automotive, after she informed him she was transgender.

He informed police he was “shocked to find that out. And just uncomfortable and really, really disturbed.” Bogdanov informed police he had no concept the place Kuhnhausen went after she left him.

A closer look at the Nikki Kuhnhausen murder case

A better take a look at the Nikki Kuhnhausen murder case

22 photographs

“This is a narrative and a story that plays out … all the time,” says Devon Davis Williamson, a transgender activist and co-founder of the Justice for Nikki Task Force. “When trans people go missing, they’re usually found deceased.”

Six months after she disappeared, Kuhnhausen’s physique was found by a hiker on Larch Mountain. Bogdanov was arrested after cell tower knowledge positioned his telephone the place Kuhnhausen’s physique was discovered.

“Most of the time in our culture and our country, if a trans person is killed, there is not an arrest made,” Williamson says. “We think it’s right around 30% of trans people who are murdered … have someone arrested and fully prosecuted.”

At his trial, Bogdanov stated he killed Kuhnhausen in self-defense when, he says, she reached for his gun. He testified that he panicked after realizing she was useless and dumped her physique at Larch Mountain. He was discovered responsible of her murder and malicious harassment, a hate crime. He was sentenced to the utmost, 19-and-a-half years in jail.

Kuhnhausen’s mom and supporters from the Justice for Nikki Task Force labored with legislators in Washington to move Nikki’s Law. It’s designed to stop defendants charged with violent crimes from utilizing sexual orientation or gender identification as an excuse for violence, the so-called “gay” or “trans panic defense.”

“I want her death to mean something to someone who may contemplate hurting another transgender person,” says Woods.

 “SHE WAS ALWAYS NIKKI”

Lisa Woods will always remember the day her life modified eternally. It was June 6, 2019. That’s when her daughter Nikki Kuhnhausen seemingly vanished. Woods says they talked every day earlier than work.

Lisa Woods: I’d name her day by day and speak to her earlier than my shift. … She stopped answering.

Nikki Kuhnhausen Though many had hoped Nikki Kuhnhausen would come house protected, Nikki’s mom Lisa Woods informed “48 Hours” she had a sense one thing dangerous had occurred to her daughter.

Lisa Woods

Immediately, her mom’s instinct kicked in. Woods had a foul feeling.

Lisa Woods: That first day I took her sweatshirt and I made it right into a pillowcase. And I slept together with her image and my Bible.

Jamie Yuccas: Did you worry that one thing had occurred?

Lisa Woods: I knew one thing had occurred.

Woods filed a lacking individual’s report. At first, pal Arielle Fox wasn’t too involved.

Arielle Fox: Lost her telephone or one thing. Classic Nikki transfer.

Arielle knew all about Nikki’s strikes, in spite of everything they’d been greatest pals since childhood.

Arielle Fox: She’s like … the full of life pal that is simply … all the time excessive power.

Arielle Fox: When I first met Nikki, she was nonetheless going by Nick. … But she was positively nonetheless Nikki at coronary heart.

Taylor Watts was a childhood pal as nicely.

Taylor Watts: We lived throughout the road from one another — I need to say third and fourth grade. … She stood out, you already know. She was, like, cheerful. Was caring. She was simply Nikki.

Becoming Nikki could be one thing of an evolution, however Woods says she and her giant household all the time knew.

Lisa Woods: Very hardly ever did anyone name her Nikolas.

Nikki Kuhnhausen Lisa Woods says Nikki she by no means struggled together with her identification. From a really younger age, “Nikki was just Nikki,” she informed “48 Hours.”

Lisa Woods

Nikki started life as Nikolas. But from a younger age, Woods says Nikki had a robust sense of self.

Lisa Woods: There’s this one image with a blonde wig on as a result of the babysitter was a hairdresser and she or he snuck into her wigs.

Jamie Yuccas: So, she all the time knew who she was.

Lisa Woods: Uh-huh. Yeah. She broke her arm, and she or he had a pink forged. Her brothers have been so mad that I let her decide a pink forged … I’m like, “she picked the color! It’s her broken arm.”

It was round sixth grade that Nikki made her gender identification public.

Lisa Woods: She determined that she was going to be Nikki on a regular basis, not simply at house … so she began dressing as herself.

Jamie Yuccas: As a girl, younger girl?

Lisa Woods: As a younger girl.

Woods says Nikki was broadly accepted for who she was, particularly amongst a sure “in” crowd.

Lisa Woods: The cheerleaders beloved the best way that she did her make-up they usually wished her to do their make-up, as nicely.

And she hoped that zeal would someday flip into her dream job.

Lisa Woods: She wished to be Nicki Minaj‘s hair and make-up artist.

Jamie Yuccas: That was her purpose.

Lisa Woods: Mm-hmm.

Nikki Kuhnhausen Nikki Kuhnhausen

Lisa Woods

Like most teenagers, Nikki beloved to put up on-line …

Lisa Woods: One day she got here house and informed me “Mom, I’m Facebook famous.”

… particularly TikTookay tributes to her idol, that different Nikki – Nicki Minaj.

Jamie Yuccas: How essential do you suppose social media was to Nikki?

Lisa Woods: It was fairly essential. … She beloved taking selfies. She beloved what number of likes she obtained.

Woods says Nikki additionally appreciated combating for the underdog.

Lisa Woods: I used to be known as to the varsity … on many events as a result of she had been suspended for hitting somebody, but it surely was all the time a state of affairs the place she was defending another person.

Nikki’s mother and father had divorced when she was younger. Mother and daughter remained shut as Nikki turned a teen.

Lisa Woods: We would go get our nails accomplished. … We would simply drive round and go by the water and stroll by the water.

But in highschool, issues would start to vary.

Arielle Fox: Nikki was going to highschool, however she would not make it on a regular basis. And she’d be onerous to get ahold of generally. She simply would not get up. She’d miss the bus.

Woods says she knew what was improper. Nikki had began abusing medicine.

Lisa Woods: She stated to me, “Mommy, I don’t think I can do my homework without being high.” And she was 16.

Friends say Nikki had began utilizing methamphetamine.

Lisa Woods: That’s after I realized I used to be speaking to an addict as an alternative of my daughter.

Woods says there have been many makes an attempt to get Nikki into rehab to assist her kick medicine for good, however nothing appeared to stay. For months, Nikki continued to battle. Just how harmful Nikki’s dependancy was turned obvious to Woods in 2018.

Lisa Woods: I obtained a name at work … from a detective.

Woods was informed Nikki had been shot six instances. Lisa raced to the hospital anticipating the worst, however when she arrived …

Lisa Woods: Two of her girlfriends have been there and she or he had her make-up all accomplished. And she was sitting up laughing they usually have been doing selfies. And I regarded on the detective, and I’m like, “I thought you said she was shot six times?”

It was a miracle says Woods. None of Nikki’s accidents have been life-threatening.

Lisa Woods: It missed each main artery — in her neck, internal thigh, twice within the abdomen, in her leg and the again of her calf.

Woods says Nikki informed her she was shot throughout a dispute over medicine.

Jamie Yuccas: What do you suppose it says about Nikki, she was in a position to survive being shot six instances?

Arielle Fox: She was a —

Taylor Watts: Champ.

Arielle Fox:  — robust cookie.

Taylor Watts: Yeah. Very robust.

The man answerable for Nikki’s capturing was by no means apprehended. Woods hoped Nikki’s brush with dying would function the inspiration for Nikki to show her life round.

Jamie Yuccas: Did you suppose, “OK, you know, we’re on a different path now?”

Lisa Woods: I did. I imply, she knew it was a miracle. She knew.

Now, a yr later, Nikki was lacking. And Woods hoped for one more miracle.

THE SEARCH FOR NIKKI

In June 2019, Lisa Woods had only one purpose: discovering her daughter Nikki Kuhnhausen. All of Nikki’s social media accounts had gone silent.

Lisa Woods: We begin making flyers.

Kuhnhausen missing poster “I remember there were flyers everywhere. You couldn’t go to the grocery store without seeing that flyer,” stated Clark County prosecutor Kristen Arnaud.

Lisa Woods

Clark County prosecutor Kristen Arnaud.

Kristen Arnaud: I keep in mind there have been flyers all over the place. You could not go to the grocery retailer with out seeing that flyer.

News of Nikki’s disappearance in Vancouver, Washington, began to get extra consideration.

KOIN NEWS REPORT: She vanished greater than two weeks in the past and at present was listed on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children web site.

Police talked to Nikki’s roommates and discovered the final time they’d seen her was the day she vanished. Nikki was heading out the door to satisfy a person she’d met simply hours earlier than. But who was he? Clark County prosecutor Colin Hayes says her social media messages offered investigators with their first clue about who Nikki was seeing that night time.

Colin Hayes: We have their Snapchat messages, so we all know that he picked her up. It would have been someplace 5 a.m.-ish or so.

David Bogdanov David Bogdanov

Liliya Bogdanov

“He” was 25-year-old David Bogdanov, who labored at his family-owned building enterprise. Their exchanges gave police their first glimpse of a timeline when he and Nikki met.

Kristen Arnaud: That was the final time she was seen alive by anybody else.

Kristen Arnaud: So, detectives want to speak to him inside a few weeks of Nikki going lacking.

The investigators tried his house.

Kristen Arnaud: They left, you already know, playing cards. I feel in addition they tried calling him, weren’t in a position to come up with him. They additionally despatched Snapchat messages.

But Bogdanov didn’t reply. It appeared he had vanished — identical to Nikki. Weeks grew into months with none leads.

Lisa Woods: I simply knew that she was being held in opposition to her will or worse.

In late September, almost 4 months after Nikki went lacking, investigators lastly heard from David Bogdanov. He stated he’d had telephone issues and had simply gotten their messages. Detectives requested him to return in for questioning, hoping he might assist the investigation.

Colin Hayes: Until you speak to him and get the story, you do not essentially know if there may be — perhaps there was another person after which will have seen her.

So, on October 2, Bogdanov voluntarily met with Detective David Jensen of the Vancouver Police Department.

DET. DAVID JENSEN: David, are you conscious that that is recording?

DAVID BOGDANOV: Yep.

In their recorded interview, Bogdanov informed Jensen he was out ingesting along with his brothers on June 6, when he seen a younger girl.

It was on a block in Vancouver round 3 a.m. that David Bogdanov claims he first noticed Nikki alone. He says he walked over to her to verify to see if she was OK. They began speaking.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I supplied her my jacket ‘trigger it was actually chilly exterior.

Bogdanov additionally supplied Nikki a drink.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I stated would you like some vodka trigger I obtained some if you wish to have a drink, simply to calm down a little bit bit. And she stated positive. Um, so. I simply gave her the bottle.

DET. DAVID JENSEN: OK.

DAVID BOGDANOV: To take together with her.

He additionally gave Nikki his contact information.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I did give her my Snapchat title, um, wished to simply alternate Snapchats, and she or he did not have a telephone together with her.

Bogdanov says he and Nikki then parted methods. A number of hours later, Nikki despatched him the tackle the place she was staying with pals. Bogdanov drove over and picked her up.

Kristen Arnaud: He stated he was going to assist her discover her telephone as a result of her telephone was lacking.

Later that morning, Bogdanov says he and Nikki discovered themselves alone in his automotive.

DAVID BOGDANOV: We have been kinda simply parked there within the driveway chit-chatting a little bit bit and — after which she informed me that she’s not a she.

Bogdanov says that is when Nikki informed him she was transgender.

Nikki Kuhnhausen and David Bogdanov Nikki Kuhnhausen and David Bogdanov

DAVID BOGDANOV: I used to be shocked to search out that out. And simply uncomfortable and actually, actually disturbed. And I requested her to please get out of the automotive, ‘trigger that is simply actually bizarre for me. … She simply obtained out of the automotive and I took off.

Colin Hayes: He’s fairly obscure concerning the particulars at that time and simply says that was the final I noticed of her.

While he was unsure about some particulars of that night time, Arnaud says Bogdanov was clear on one matter.

Kristen Arnaud: He went out of his technique to guarantee that they knew that he discovered that anybody who was a part of the LGBTQI neighborhood, that he discovered them disgusting.

LGBTQI is an abbreviation to confer with lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex folks and communities.

DAVID BOGDANOV: For me it is even disturbing when I’m round like a homosexual individual or anyone bi or transsexual or one thing else. … I simply obtained disgusted and I requested her to simply get out.

Bogdanov supplied up one other piece of information, although he was by no means requested.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I want I might enable you extra however I — I — I do not know. I’m not the sort of individual to — I’m not even a violent individual in any respect, you already know, nothing.

Bogdanov’s interview ended, and he left the police station.

Then, on December 7, 2019, six months after Nikki vanished, a person strolling on close by Larch Mountain discovered one thing that may change this case eternally.

Det. Joe Swenson: Nobody goes about their day anticipating that they are going to discover a physique.

AN UNSETTLING DISCOVERY

It was almost Christmas 2019 and Lisa Woods was aching for one miraculous reward – the protected return of her 17-year-old daughter, Nikki Kuhnhausen.  She’d been lacking for six insufferable months.          

Lisa Woods: I prayed and prayed to convey my child house, simply convey my child house to me.

But the unsettling discovery of a human cranium on December 7, 2019 introduced a swarm of native authorities to thickly wooded Larch Mountain, together with Detective Joe Swenson from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Det. Joe Swenson: This was the path that we really entered into the world, and there have been objects discovered instantly contained in the tree line.

Underneath the dense cover of timber, the remnants of a human life had been scattered by animals down a steep ravine.

Kuhnhausen crime scene The search stalled till December 2019, when a hiker made a discovery on a distant street on Larch Mountain — human stays.

Clark County Superior Court

Det. Joe Swenson: There have been a bunch of clothes objects discovered down there … particularly, a inexperienced jacket, some underwear…

Det. Joe Swenson: There was a bandana.

Det. Joe Swenson: There have been extra bone …  jewellery.

Jamie Yuccas: You additionally discovered a telephone twine.

Det. Joe Swenson: Correct.

Jamie Yuccas: What’s the importance of that?

Det. Joe Swenson: When we discovered the telephone charging twine, it … was tied in a knot, but it surely was in a circle, about 4 inches in diameter …

Tangled contained in the knotted twine have been synthetic, multi-colored hair extensions.

After combing the rugged terrain for 2 days, detectives suspected somebody had been murdered.

Det. Joe Swenson: We had a few lacking individuals’ circumstances that have been sort of on our thoughts. … We began speaking with extra detectives in different companies and studying, hey, this could possibly be Nikki Kuhnhausen.  And oh, come to search out out she’s been lacking for six months.

Kuhnhausen evidence This jacket discovered on the mountain was decided to have belonged to Nikki Kuhnhausen.

Clark County Superior Court

That’s when the Vancouver Police started one other exhaustive search, says Swenson, evaluating proof photographs taken on the mountain to Nikki’s private photographs discovered on-line searching for matches.

Det. Joe Swenson: And really discovered numerous photographs of her sporting the precise objects that we had discovered up right here. And so, it was a very good affirmation initially to have the ability to say, yeah, we’re fairly positive that is Nikki.

About per week later, dental information verified the sufferer’s identification.  It was Nikki Kuhnhausen, and it was murder.  The health worker decided that Nikki had been strangled to dying with that cellphone charger twine.

DET. DAVID JENSEN [to David Bogdanov]: Sorry for interruptin’ your commute this morning…

On December 17, 2019, Vancouver Police Detective David Jensen as soon as once more questioned the final recognized individual to see Nikki alive: David Bogdanov. 

DET. DAVID JENSEN: Sounded such as you stated, you have been going to go to your job website. 

DAVID BOGDANOV: I went to work.

DET. DAVID JENSEN: Yeah, you went to work.

Bogdanov caught to his story: on the morning of June 6, after Nikki divulged she was transgender, he stated he was shocked and disturbed:

DET. DAVID JENSEN: And that is while you have been like –

DAVID BOGDANOV: Basically kicked her out of the van…

DET. DAVID JENSEN: — I’m not into this…and kicked her out of the van, despatched her on her means.

Bogdanov stated he then drove straight to work in close by Portland, Oregon. 

DET. DAVID JENSEN: So, on the time that we talked, I did not take pleasure in your entire telephone information, OK. But now there’s been some preliminary evaluation accomplished.  So you left – your telephone left … after which went east — out previous Larch Mountain.

DAVID BOGDANOV: [Sits in stunned silence.]

DET. DAVID JENSEN: What occurred on that journey?

His cellphone information urged he had by no means pushed to work that morning – however really traveled in the other way to Larch Mountain.

Det. David Jensen: That journey took about an hour spherical journey. … Up some logging roads. And then again once more.

DAVID BOGDANOV: Think I wanna speak with a lawyer.

DET. DAVID JENSEN: OK, all proper.  So, you are being arrested at present for the murder of Nikki Kuhnhausen, whose stays have been found, who was strangled to dying, OK. … Stand up for me please.

David Bogdanov arrest David Bogdanov is arrested and charged with Nikki Kuhnhausen’s murder.

Clark County Superior Court

A number of hours later, Detective David Jensen informed Woods they’d discovered Nikki.

Lisa Woods: And I fell to my knees and began screaming.  And he got here in and held me till I might achieve my composure.

Lisa Woods: After I calmed down, Dave informed me … ” I want to make sure he was charged and behind bars before I came and told you.”

Colin Hayes: Charges have been murder within the second diploma and malicious harassment, which is now known as a hate crime in Washington.

Jamie Yuccas: What have been your first reactions while you heard he had been arrested?

Devon Davis Williamson: I imply, honestly, I used to be fairly shocked.

Clinical social employee Devon Davis Williamson and Linden Walls are transgender activists.  They launched the “Justice for Nikki Task Force.”

Devon Davis Williamson: Most of the time in our tradition and our nation, if a trans individual is killed, there may be not an arrest made.  We suppose it is proper round 30% of trans people who find themselves murdered … have somebody arrested and totally prosecuted.

Linden Walls: Having somebody held accountable – I feel solely that may begin the therapeutic.

Linden Walls: And additionally convey consideration to among the issues that the trans neighborhood is burdened with…

Part of their burden, says Walls, resides with worry – worry of being misunderstood, worry of being attacked. A current UCLA Law School research concluded that transgender persons are 4 instances extra probably than non-transgender folks to change into victims of violent crime – an explosion of hate the American Medical Association has known as “an epidemic of violence.”

Lisa Woods: There was a vigil for her. … It was actually overwhelming to see how a lot love that the trans neighborhood had coming collectively for my daughter. 

Lisa Woods “It was really overwhelming to see how much love that the trans community had coming together for my daughter,” stated Lisa Woods.

CBS News

Lisa Woods: And that is the place I met Devon. … She helped me discover focus and function.  She informed me that she was going to guarantee that no person forgot Nikki’s title.  And that it was going to make a distinction.

With assist from her new pals, Wood’s focus slowly shifted – from the horror of going through her daughter’s violent dying to the hope of discovering justice for her murder. 

Linden Walls: Lisa was so pushed to see justice and to do proper for her baby.

Devon Davis Williamson: And I feel that is given Lisa function and drive to remain alive.

LISA WOODS [at press conference]: She was a rainbow of sunshine.  She was so assured in who she was.

At a press convention simply days after Bogdanov’s arrest, Lisa Woods turned an activist.

LISA WOODS | KOIN NEWS REPORT 12/20/19 at vigil: I consider this man … I consider he killed her as a result of she was a transgender (sic).  I consider that with all my coronary heart. 

By August 2021, David Bogdanov’s day of reckoning was quick approaching.  His murder trial was simply two weeks away when prosecutors discovered he had modified his story dramatically.

And he would take the stand to inform it himself.

DAVID BOGDANOV [on witness stand]: She’s leaping for my gun … and all I can suppose is…”Oh my God, I’m gonna get shot right now.” 

BOGDANOV TAKES THE STAND

Vicki Matsuk, David Bogdanov’s niece, doesn’t consider her uncle is able to the murder he’s accused of committing.

Vicki Matsuk: He would all the time get together with everybody. … Always there for everybody, it doesn’t matter what.

Just days earlier than the trial he reassured his sister, Lily.

Lily Bogdanov: I simply keep in mind him … telling us to not fear. … He was prepared to simply face no matter is coming.

And Woods was additionally prepared.

Lisa Woods: I simply prayed. I prayed for God to have his palms in it. 

The court docket provided a zoom feed because the trial obtained underway in August 2021.

Each day, household and pals rallied round Lisa Woods sporting pink masks to court docket.

Devon Davis Williamson: I feel sitting in a room with the person that murdered your child is tough, impossibly onerous.

Opening statements started with a daring declare from the protection.

ERIN MCALEER: Our consumer didn’t strangle Nikki Kuhnhausen, inflicting her dying, as a result of she’s transgendered (sic). Nikki Kuhnhausen is now deceased as a result of Mr. Bogdanov needed to defend himself in opposition to her attacking him and probably killing him.

But the prosecution argued that was not the case. They insisted Nikki was the sufferer of a hate crime.

COLIN HAYES: The defendant murdered Nikki after discovering out she was transgender. The defendant murdered Nikki as a result of his respect for human life was outweighed by his hatred for many who are homosexual and those that are transgender.

The prosecution laid out its case with specialists testifying about these snapchat exchanges main as much as the murder and cellphone information putting Bogdanov’s telephone at Larch Mountain simply hours later. Jurors have been proven proof discovered on the scene: together with that telephone charging twine.

The protection known as only one witness: Bogdanov himself. 

Attorney Erin McAleer questioned Bogdanov about his non secular upbringing and his views about LGBTQI folks.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I used to be taught that it’s a sin. And it is not OK.

Lily Bogdanov: It’s not David’s life-style. … But if David comes throughout anyone, whoever it’s, there is no such thing as a hate.

Bogdanov informed the jury what occurred when he and Nikki have been alone in his automotive.

ERIN MCALEER: And what was Nikki doing at that time?

DAVID BOGDANOV: She was smoking one thing out of a pipe. 

David Bogdanov At David Bogdanov’s trial in August, he took the stand and stated he’d killed Nikki Kuhnhausen in self-defense. He claimed she reached for his gun when he rejected her for being transgender, and he feared for his life. 

The Columbian

Bogdanov stated Nikki requested him to affix her within the again seat. Before he did, he wedged the gun he carried between the motive force’s seat and middle console.

DAVID BOGDANOV: That transitioned to us making out.

ERIN MCALEER: Was there touching or the rest?

DAVID BOGDANOV: Yes. 

ERIN MCALEER: OK. Who was touching who?

DAVID BOGDANOV: There was a little bit little bit of each. At first um –

ERIN MCALEER: Where was she touching you?

DAVID BOGDANOV: [Crying] She began touching me, my personal space.

Bogdanov stated the sexual encounter escalated shortly, and that is when he realized Nikki was transgender. Bogdanov’s testimony could also be disturbing to some.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I used to be in shock. I simply felt deceived. … I freak out and I push her again. … And I begin freaking out saying, “you didn’t tell me, you’re a dude.” …  And began yelling at her that she’s a disgusting piece of crap. 

He stated he informed Nikki to get out of his automotive and he stated she reacted with violence.

DAVID BOGDANOV: She kinda picked up her foot to attempt to simply kick me together with her foot from the passenger facet. And … she simply jumps up and goes in the direction of the middle console in the direction of my gun.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I’m pondering, you already know, I simply was deceived by this individual … and this individual’s excessive on meth … and all I can suppose is, “oh my God, I’m going to get shot right now.”

Devon Davis Williamson: The suggestion that Nikki might need gone for the gun sort of defies logic.

Bogdanov stated he tried to restrain Nikki by grabbing her jacket, however the materials was too slippery to get a very good grip. He claims in a determined try to avoid wasting himself, he reached for a cellphone charging twine. 

Kuhnhausen crime scene Investigators found this twine with hair extensions caught in a knot alongside the stays. The Medical Examiner decided the reason for dying to be strangulation.

Clark County Superior Court

DAVID BOGDANOV: I seize that cable and put it round her … and pull her again like that and maintain her maintain her from going ahead, to the gun. 

Bogdanov stated he positioned the telephone twine round Nikki’s arms and chest throughout their battle, however as he pulled, the twine slipped as much as her neck. 

DAVID BOGDANOV: The complete time she’s making an attempt to battle me and simply reaching again and scratching at my face, making an attempt to gouge my eyes.

ERIN MCALEER: So, in some unspecified time in the future does she cease struggling?

DAVID BOGDANOV: Yes.

Devon Williamson: The ligature used to kill Nikki was a telephone twine that was tied to an area of three.97 inches which finally ends up being about like this (demonstrates making a small circle with each palms). And should you can picture the bodily sensation of getting your throat constricted to an area this dimension, after which have it triple-knotted. 

After realizing Nikki was useless, Bogdanov stated he panicked.

DAVID BOGDANOV: First factor I feel is I have to name the police. And then I feel that they are not going to consider me. You know, I’ve been up all night time, not sober. There’s medicine within the automotive. There’s a useless individual within the backseat. … At that time, I assumed I have to eliminate the physique. 

DAVID BOGDANOV: This was a really humiliating factor that occurred to me … I simply wished to place this behind me, like wishing it by no means occurred. 

Bogdanov stated that is when he drove Nikki’s physique to Larch Mountain.

DAVID BOGDANOV: I pulled her out of the automotive and there may be that spot by the street, the place the hill simply went down actually steep, I simply sort of pushed her down that. 

Then Bogdanov informed the court docket he left the nation simply hours after killing Nikki, shopping for a last-minute ticket to Ukraine.

ERIN MCALEER: Can you inform the jury why, why you left the nation? 

DAVID BOGDANOV: I used to be scared. An emotional wreck. And I used to be pondering I knew I wanted to stop my ingesting. And that I probably wouldn’t have been on this state of affairs if I hadn’t been ingesting … And I simply wished to get away.

Kristen Arnaud: The proven fact that he had a number of completely different tales that he had had not less than two alternatives to offer this clarification to detectives and hadn’t, the truth that he dumped the physique, the truth that he ran from the nation, all issues sort of level to a responsible conscience and never somebody who thinks that their actions are justified.

Both sides made their case one final time throughout closing arguments

KRISTEN ARNAUD: His motivation the complete time has been … his hate, his rage, his disgrace for locating out that Nikki was transgender. It’s not about worry. This case is NOT about self-defense. 

Defense legal professional Matthew Hoff strongly disagreed.

MATTHEW HOFF: Nikki Kuhnhausen shouldn’t be right here at present, not as a result of she was transgender, however as a result of Mr. Bogdanov was put in a life and dying state of affairs.

JUSTICE FOR NIKKI

Lisa Woods: She simply beloved the digital camera, you already know?

Jamie Yuccas: It appeared just like the digital camera appreciated her again.

Lisa Woods: Mm-hmm.

Lisa Woods: Nikki was simply Nikki. She sort of led the best way. I simply adopted. 

Nikki Kuhnhausen ” She just loved the camera, you know?” Lisa Woods stated of her daughter.

Clark County Superior Court

Devon Williamson: She was very empowered and really steadfast in her identification and I feel very robust, most likely in a means that society struggles to deal with.

After two weeks of an emotional trial – and greater than two years after Nikki Kuhnhausen’s dying – would jurors consider David Bogdanov’s declare of self-defense?

Lily Bogdanov: David shouldn’t be the person who they made him out to be. … David is sort, David is caring.

Or the prosecution’s case, that he murdered Nikki after he discovered she was transgender.

Kristen Arnaud: She was so robust in her identification and that is in the end why she was killed. 

The jury deliberated for greater than two days.

Linden Walls: We weren’t positive the way it was going to go, there was a risk of a hung jury.

Finally, on day three, they knowledgeable the choose they’d reached a unanimous resolution. 

JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: We the jury discover the above-named defendant responsible of the crime of murder within the second diploma, as charged in depend one. Verdict type depend two: we the jury discover the above-named defendant responsible of the crime of malicious harassment.

A hate crime in Washington.

Devon Williamson: It’s a win, it is a actually massive win. 

Colin Hayes: I’m simply completely satisfied to get justice for Nikki’s household. 

kuhnhausen-20.jpg  Jurors discovered David Bogdanov responsible of murder within the second diploma and malicious harassment, a hate crime in Washington. 

AP Images

Two weeks later, Lisa Woods would ask the choose to impose the utmost sentence.

LISA WOODS | VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT: [Crying] I will not see her smile, watch her graduate, see her married or watch her develop. 

Lisa Woods: I wished to point out how Nikki might have been … And so many issues that have been stolen from us. So many milestones that she’ll by no means get to do. And I miss her day by day. 

Before handing down the sentence, Judge David Gregerson addressed the court docket saying he was “struck by the darker nature of this crime.”

JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: It conjures up previous childhood legends of the boogeyman, of belief gone terribly improper.

Fighting again tears, the choose continued for nearly quarter-hour.

JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: The motion in the direction of one thing resembling justice could also be seen as a step within the better total motion from darkness towards mild. In this court docket’s view, that may and ought to be Nikki Kuhnhausen’s legacy.

Bogdanov was sentenced to the utmost — 19-and-a-half years for Nikki’s murder with 12 concurrent months for the malicious harassment cost.

Kristen Arnaud: I feel it was acceptable on this case.

Colin Hayes: It would not essentially appear to be … a protracted period of time when you consider what he took from Nikki and Nikki’s household. 

kuhnhausen-pink.jpg Family, pals and supporters gathered exterior the courtroom after David Bggdanov’s sentencing.

KOIN

After sentencing, household, pals and supporters gathered exterior the courtroom.

Lisa Woods: She was only a child. She was simply an adolescent. He took her life, and you already know he obtained the utmost. And that is what he deserves.

DEVON DAVIS WILLIAMSON [addressing at a vigil held after sentencing]: Nikki’s story has allowed us to take a large leap ahead.

Woods’ and Nikki’s supporters have tried to discover a means for her legacy to assist and shield others.

Linden Walls: Finding a technique to memorialize Nikki and empower different trans youngsters to pursue their desires I feel is the following step.  

And that occurred with the passing of laws in Washington State often known as Nikki’s Law. 

It’s designed to stop defendants charged with violent crimes from counting on a sufferer’s gender identification or sexual orientation – the so-called homosexual or trans panic protection.

Kristen Arnaud: Nikki’s law … makes it unimaginable to make use of what’s known as the trans panic protection in court docket … the place somebody says that they have been so uncontrolled once they discovered that somebody was trans … that you simply primarily aren’t culpable in your actions. 

Washington is one in every of 16 states to move comparable laws. Nikki’s supporters hope her law will encourage much more states to comply with swimsuit. 

Jamie Yuccas: What’s it wish to know that your daughter’s legacy — there is a law named after her?

Lisa Woods: I’m glad it would assist different folks. … I would like her dying to imply one thing to somebody who might ponder hurting one other transgender individual.

Williamson and Walls are pleased with what they achieved with the Justice for Nikki Task Force, and hope Nikki’s story will assist the transgender neighborhood

Devon Davis Williamson: My hope … is that this work has created a domino impact and this may hopefully result in different trans children and teenagers in comparable life conditions having a distinct life final result.

As Lisa Woods strikes ahead with out Nikki, she carries a particular reminder of her daughter – a necklace she wears day by day. 

Lisa Woods: I simply obtained this for my birthday from my son, Alex … And he made it to place Nikki’s ashes in …

Jamie Yuccas: You all the time have Nikki near your coronary heart.

Lisa Woods: Yes.

Lisa Woods and Nikki Kuhnhausen Lisa Woods and Nikki Kuhnhausen

Lisa Woods

Jamie Yuccas: How would you like Nikki remembered?

Lisa Woods: For her loyalty to what she believed in, staying true to who she was, simply staying true to her household and pals it doesn’t matter what. … Unconditional love for everybody.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, there have been extra violent deaths of transgender and non-binary folks within the U.S. in 2021 than every other yr on file.

Produced by Susan Mallie. Mead Stone is the producer-editor. Jennifer Terker is a producer. Gayane Keshishyan Mendez is the event producer. Emma Steele is the sphere producer. Greg Kaplan, Marcus Balsam and Phil Tangel are the editors. Lauren Turner Dunn is the affiliate producer. Anthony Batson is the senior broadcast producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.

Trending News

image1596002x.jpg