KOMO ABC News 4 Seattle, screenshot of Nikki Kuhnhausen (Family photos via Vancouver PD)
VANCOUVER, Wash. | Jurors hearing the case against 27-year-old David Bogdanov, accused of killing a 17-year-old trans female in 2019, convicted him on one count of second-degree murder along with an additional count of malicious harassment which is a hate crime in the state of Washington last week.
The skull and scattered remains of Nikki Kuhnhausen had been found in the Larch Mountain area of eastern Clark County in December 2019 — six months after she had been reported missing by her mother Lisa Woods.
Detectives David Jensen and Jason Mills of the Vancouver Police Department testified in court that they had examined Kuhnhausen’s Snapchat account which led them to identify Bogdanov as a person of interest in her disappearance, the Columbian newspaper reported. A search warrant for Bogdanov’s Snapchat account corroborated that the two had met and that he gave her a ride in his car.
Bogdanov, who was the only person to testify in his defense, claimed that he killed Kuhnhausen in self-defense. On the stand, Bogdanov said that during his sexual encounter with Kuhnhausen in June of 2019 — he discovered she was transgender — Portland, Oregon’s NBC affiliate KGW8 reported.
He testified that when he tried to get her out of his car — Kuhnhausen reached for his gun — and that he had no choice but to subdue her. He argued he strangled Kuhnhausen with the cord of a cellphone charger nearby in self-defense as he tried to keep her away.
In his court testimony, Bogdanov and his lawyers argued that the self-defense claim stemmed from his attempt to prevent his family from discovering that he had sexual contact with someone who was born male. The defense included Bogdanov testifying that he would’ve been shunned if his family found out. The probable cause for his arrest warrant included the notation; [he] “became enraged at the realization that he had engaged in sexual contact with a male whom he believed to be female and strangled Nikki to death.”
After Kuhnhausen’s murder, Bogdanov dumped her body down the hillside of Larch Mountain, 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, the Columbian also reported.
Outrage over the murder had led to the State of Washington enacting a law to prevent a “gay panic defense.” In March of 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee signed the Nikki Kuhnhausen Act, House Bill 1687, making Washington the 10th state to enact such a ban.
“The bill brings us closer to telling the LGBT community they are valued in Washington and closer to honoring Nikki and the positive stride she made on behalf of the trans community,” Inslee said at the time of his signing the legislation.
David Bogdanov’s sentencing is set for Sept. 9, in Clark County, Washington Superior Court.
Man found guilty in the murder of Nikki Kuhnhausen; Vancouver teen’s death inspired new law.
The Nikki Kuhnhausen Act eliminates the “gay panic” or “trans panic” legal defense. The Clark County prosecutor said this case and verdict show trans people are entitled to equal protection under the law. Ashley Korslien joined The Story to explain:
