George Sydnor was sentenced to 40 years in prison plus five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to first-degree murder while armed in the March 31, 2023 killing of 31-year-old Christy Bautista at the Ivy City Hotel in Northeast Washington, D.C. Surveillance footage shows Sydnor arriving by rideshare bicycle, entering her ground-floor room and stabbing her; local reports say she suffered 34 stab wounds. Officers found Sydnor on the bed smoking a cigarette with blood on his hands. Family members described the attack as random and devastating, while defense attorneys cited remorse and declining health in seeking a shorter term.
Man Sentenced to 40 Years After Random, Fatal Stabbing of Concertgoer in D.C. Hotel
GoFundMe Christy Bautista
A federal judge on Jan. 16 sentenced 46-year-old George Sydnor to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder while armed in the March 31, 2023 killing of 31-year-old Christy Bautista.
Attack and Investigation
According to a U.S. Department of Justice press release and local reporting, Bautista—who had traveled from Harrisonburg, Va., to Washington, D.C., for a concert—checked into a ground-floor room at the Ivy City Hotel in Northeast D.C. on the evening of March 31, 2023. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows Sydnor arriving on a rideshare bicycle about 90 minutes after Bautista had unloaded her belongings and heading toward a row of street-accessible ground-floor rooms.
The Justice Department statement says Sydnor parked his bike in front of Bautista's window, stood at her door as if listening, then abruptly entered and slammed the door behind him. Once inside, prosecutors say, he attacked her and stabbed her multiple times. Local reporting by WUSA 9 stated that Bautista suffered 34 stab wounds to the neck and back.
Google Maps Ivy City Hotel in Washington, DC.
Emily Bautista, Christy's sister: 'The randomness of it all is...hard to digest. She took precautions and still was killed randomly.'
Scene, Arrest and Background
Officers arrived within minutes and found Sydnor sitting on the bed smoking a cigarette, with blood on his hands and Bautista's body on the floor. Prosecutors described the killing as 'sadistic.' At the time, Sydnor was on release pending resolution of a prior attempted robbery case.
Sydnor appeared in court from a wheelchair and offered a brief apology, telling the judge he 'never intended for none of this to happen and I’m terribly sorry.' Defense attorneys argued his remorse and declining health warranted a reduced sentence of 35 years; prosecutors sought a longer term given the brutality and apparent randomness of the attack.
Family Reaction and Memorial
Family members said the violence left a profound void. Christy's sister Ashley said the family will never again be able to hug or speak with her. A GoFundMe memorial described Christy as a bright presence who encouraged others and made a positive impact on everyone she met.
The guilty plea entered in October 2025 led to the 40-year prison term announced by the Department of Justice. After serving his sentence, Sydnor will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Help us improve.
