Suspects charged in murder of woman stabbed with screwdriver

More than a year after a Seattle woman was found beaten and stabbed to death with a screwdriver, the two suspects in the case have been charged with first-degree murder.
 
Both 22-year-old Cristen Parada-Rivera and 20-year-old Emanuel Jaime-Rodriguez pleaded not guilty before King County Court Judge Dean Lum Monday morning.

Prosecutors said the two were responsible for the death of Celina Petersen in February 2015.
 
She was found strangled and stabbed with a screwdriver in a South Park alley.
 
Charging papers show investigators initially had little evidence to work with until witnesses stepped forward earlier this year.
 
After his arrest in April, Parada-Rivera told police he killed Petersen because she was demanding money and was threatening to get him deported.
 
Prosecutors today asked the two men not be in contact with each other or the witnesses.
 
The family of Celina Petersen was also court and was emotional at times. Some family members were crying and holding on to each other as the two men entered not-guilty pleas.
 
They told KIRO 7 they are not ready to make a public comment right now.
 
Both Parada-Rivera and Rodriguez remain behind bars. They are due back in court on June 1^st.

Cox Media Group