David Bogdanov given maximum sentence for the 2019 murder of trans teen Nikki Kuhnhausen

A Vancouver judge sentenced David Bogdanov Thursday to 20 years in prison for the 2019 murder of transgender teen Nikki Kuhnhausen. 

Kuhnhausen, 17, was reported missing in June 2019, and a hiker found her skull in the woods near Larch Mountain in eastern Clark County in December 2019. Police arrested Bogdanov days later.

 

Prosecutors said Bogdanov strangled Kuhnhausen with a cellphone charger cord after learning she was transgender during a sexual encounter in his van.

 After dumping her body, Bogdanov booked a one-way flight to Ukraine and called a friend to "get rid" of his car, according to trial testimony. He returned to the U.S. about six weeks later.  Bogdanov’s attorneys claimed he was acting in self-defense and said in court they would appeal the conviction and sentence.

 

Missing transgender Teen Found Safe, Avon Police Say

Hernsdorf-Smith and their mother

Transgender high school student Ronan Hernsdorf-Smith, 17, was found safe Thursday according to Avon police Lt. John Schmalberger.

Their mother had feared that they were a victim of a child trafficking ring after one of Ronan's friend's phones pinged in Virginia.

Hernsdorf-Smith, who uses the pronouns, They/Them, was found in Chicopee, Massachusetts, as first reported by the Ct. Insider

Lt. Schmalberger said the teenager is safe and is with their family.

They had gone missing after the first day of high school and hadn't used their telephone, credit cards, or social media. They were found less than 24 hours after 100 people gathered in a vigil on Wednesday at the town gazebo in Avon.

 

A fundraiser to help pay for private investigatorstor find Ronan had raised $25,000 dollars. According to the site, the money collected will now be used to help find trafficked children.