Mother Convicted Of First-Degree Murder In 'Brutal' Stabbing Of Retired Nurse Allegedly To Fund Daughter’s Cheer Trip

Cherie Townsend, 47, was convicted Dec. 4 of first-degree murder in the May 3, 2018, slaying of 66-year-old retired nurse Susan Leeds. Leeds was discovered fatally stabbed in the driver’s seat of her white Mercedes in the Promenade on the Peninsula shopping center parking structure in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene after she suffered multiple stab wounds.

Key Evidence And Timeline

Authorities say Leeds was stabbed 17 times shortly after noon on May 3, 2018. Townsend was first arrested on May 17, 2018, and the case was initially submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on May 21, 2018; prosecutors declined charges at that time pending further investigation. In July 2022 the case was reassigned to new investigators who re-evaluated physical evidence and re-interviewed witnesses. Investigators returned the matter to prosecutors on Aug. 16, 2023, a warrant was issued, and Townsend was re-arrested on Aug. 18, 2023.

Central to the prosecution’s case was a cellphone recovered beneath Leeds’ vehicle at the crime scene. Forensic testing found DNA traces on the phone that prosecutors say matched Townsend. Investigators also reported that blood samples taken in and around Leeds’ car did not match Townsend’s DNA.

Prosecutors’ Theory

Prosecutors told jurors that the slaying occurred during an attempted robbery. Court documents and the criminal complaint say Townsend had been seeking roughly $2,000 to send her daughter and two friends to a cheerleading competition in Florida, and that motive factored into the prosecution’s theory of the attack.

Defense Position

Townsend has consistently denied involvement. Her public defender, Elizabeth Landgraf, argued during trial that there was no direct evidence — such as fingerprints, eyewitness identification or video — placing Townsend at the scene committing the stabbing. Townsend has said she was shopping at the mall buying items for her son’s prom and could not explain why her phone was found near the victim’s vehicle.

Civil Lawsuit And Case Outcome

After her initial arrest, Townsend filed a federal lawsuit in October 2018 against Los Angeles County alleging false imprisonment, defamation, racial discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress; that lawsuit was later dismissed. The criminal trial began Nov. 12, 2025, in Torrance Superior Court, Department 8, before Judge John J. Lonergan Jr. The jury returned a guilty verdict on Dec. 4, 2025, and Townsend’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2026.

Family Reaction

“So many lives were impacted by this murder,” said Fred Leeds, the victim’s stepson. “She lived a great life... a kind human being that would have done anything for anyone, and to be so brutally murdered, there’s just no explanation for it.”

The victim’s husband of 25 years died in 2022 and did not live to see the case resolved. Family members have publicly thanked investigators for pursuing the case.

What Comes Next: Townsend faces sentencing in January 2026 following the first-degree murder conviction. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the courts did not provide additional comment beyond public filings and courtroom proceedings.