A mother of two was found guilty by a court for fatally stabbing a retired nurse to obtain money for her daughter’s cheerleading camp fees. Cherie Townsend, 47, carried out the attack on 66-year-old Susan Leeds on May 3, 2018, at a shopping mall parking lot in Rolling Hills Estates, California, stabbing her 17 times during a violent robbery.
After a prolonged legal battle spanning seven years, Townsend was convicted. Initially asserting her innocence and claiming unfair treatment by law enforcement, she was arrested in May 2018 but released six days later due to insufficient evidence. Townsend later sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for alleged racial discrimination and emotional distress while falsely imprisoned.
Following her re-arrest in August 2023, Townsend was charged with first-degree murder and subsequently found guilty on December 4. Despite her claims of innocence and an alibi for her son’s prom, her phone was discovered under the victim’s car, where she was fatally stabbed. A note on her phone indicated financial distress, with Townsend struggling to gather $2,000.
While Townsend’s defense highlighted the lack of direct evidence linking her to the crime, jurors concluded that she personally used a knife to take Ms. Leeds’ life. Fred Leeds, the victim’s stepson, expressed the profound impact of the murder on their family, emphasizing Ms. Leeds’ compassionate nature and the senseless brutality of her death.
Facing a potential sentence of over 20 years in prison, Townsend’s sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2026.