Christy Bautista booked a hotel room in the District of Columbia on Friday with plans to attend a concert. What she didn’t expect was to become the victim of one of the city’s most gruesome crimes so far this year.
D.C. Metropolitan Police officers found the 31-year-old woman from Harrisonburg, Virginia, with 30 stab wounds inside her room at the Ivy City Hotel on New York Avenue Northeast. Responding officers arrested bloodied ex-convict George Sydnor Jr. at the scene and confiscated a large kitchen knife that was partially broken.
“Christy made an impact on everyone’s lives that she encountered. She was a shining light that lifted up everyone’s spirits around her. She encouraged people to do things they were afraid of and cheered them on,” a GoFundMe page set up for Ms. Bautista says. “Her life was ended way too short by a cruel act of violence that she did not deserve.”
Crime in the District is up 24% just over three months into the year, and violent crime is up 3%. A 32% increase in homicides, a 22% increase in carjackings and a 76% increase in sex abuse crimes are the main drivers of growing concern about public safety. Congress stepped in last month to overturn an effort by city leaders to reduce some criminal penalties.
Ms. Bautista’s family told local NBC affiliate WRC-TV that they don’t think Ms. Bautista knew her attacker.
That would make her the latest victim in a wave of seemingly random attacks, often in broad daylight, throughout the District. Those arrested in the attacks are usually well-known to the criminal justice system.
SEE ALSO: Virginia woman found stabbed to death in D.C. hotel
An aide for Sen. Rand Paul was stabbed on H Street Northeast late last month by a man just out of prison. In February, Rep. Angie Craig was assaulted in her apartment building by a man with 12 convictions — the most recent for assaulting a police officer.
The 43-year-old homeless man arrested in Ms. Bautista’s slaying has a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions for robbery, burglary and a sex offense. He is now facing first-degree murder.
Snydor pleaded not guilty on Monday, and a judge ordered him held without bond.
Sydnor was in custody last fall when he was arrested in connection with an armed robbery in October.
A judge at the time ordered Snydor held without bond because he was considered a danger to the community. Local Fox affiliate WTTG obtained a motion from the U.S. attorney’s office in December siding with the judge. The motion said “the defendant already has a concerning history of violence and non-compliance while on supervision.”
That didn’t deter D.C. Superior Court Judge Sean C. Staples. The Biden-appointed judge who took over Sydnor’s case granted a request to release the ex-con on supervision after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.
Sydnor was supposed to return to court for his next hearing eight days later. He skipped his appearance, and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Council member Brooke Pinto of Ward 2 in Northwest questioned why Snydor was on the streets.
“I am deeply concerned by reports that the perpetrator in this case was released from jail despite a significant criminal history. While pre-trial detention must be applied properly and only in appropriate circumstances, it is vital that individuals who are a threat to the community are not able to cause further harm,” she told The Washington Times in a statement.
Security camera footage from the evening of March 31 showed the assailant lurking outside Ms. Bautista’s room after riding a bike into the hotel parking lot, according to court documents obtained by WRC-TV.
Video shows the person stepping into her hotel room. Moments later, a 911 caller heard signs of a struggle. Ms. Bautista is heard yelling “Help! Help!” before she is pulled back into the room and the door slams shut.
Police arrived 10 minutes later and knocked on the door. Snydor told them everything was fine, according to court documents. Officers saw the man’s bloody hand through the window blinds and used the master key to enter the room.
Ms. Bautista’s bloodied body was lying face down on the floor, and Sydnor was trying to light a cigarette, police said. The large kitchen knife with a half-broken blade was found next to Sydnor’s jacket, according to the documents.
The D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Ms. Bautista was stabbed 30 times, mostly in the back. Court documents said one of the injuries pierced her spinal column and likely caused paralyzation.
“I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Christy Bautista. This tragedy is deeply troubling,” Ward 5 council member Zachary Parker said in a statement to The Times.
Sydnor also had a warrant for his arrest in Maryland on theft charges.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 8.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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