Explore More
A Virginia woman was stabbed to death in a hotel room 30 times by a suspect who was released from jail this year on an attempted robbery case he previously pleaded guilty to, according to reports.
Christy Bautista, 31, was attacked less than an hour after she checked into the Ivy City Hotel while in Washington, DC, for a concert Friday, her family and police said, according to NBC Washington.
The alleged killer, 43-year-old George Sydnor Jr., was found inside the hotel room with his hands and clothes covered in blood, court documents reportedly said.
A large kitchen knife missing half its blade was found on one of the beds while the other half was found in Syndor’s jacket pocket, the documents said.
Sydnor was charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty in court Monday.
While the suspect was held without bail following the Monday court appearance, he was previously released in January before he was sentenced following the attempted robbery plea, the Washington Post reported. Additionally, he was awaiting trial on another larceny charge in Prince George’s County in Maryland and made one court date after his release from jail.
But over the last few months, he skipped out on court dates in both places and authorities had sought warrants for his arrest, according to court records cited by the Washington Post.
If he returned to DC court, he was supposed to receive a GPS monitoring device that would have been on him until his February sentencing date, the newspaper reported.
During Friday’s brutal stabbing, Sydnor was seen entering the hotel room with footage capturing sounds of possible struggle, court documents said, NBC Washington reported. Bautista was heard screaming for help before the door was shut, according to court documents cited by the station.
A man who saw the victim before she was pulled back inside the room called 911, the station reported.
Once cops arrived, they entered the room and found Bautista with stab wounds and Sydnor trying to light a cigarette, according to court documents. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our family is devastated by the loss of our beloved Christy,” Bautista’s family said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.
“She brought joy to everybody who knew her and was a shining light in all of our lives.”
ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2Jlf3R7j21maWxfmLWztdKtsGaakarBqr%2FTmmSsrJGXr6awjK2mZpyVlsGpecGyZKCdn6e0pnnSspunp6Jitq95w5xknKegqHw%3D