Transgender teen's murder launches nationwide movement, inspires new law

Prosecutors say Nikki Kuhnhausen, 17, vanished from Vancouver, Washington, in June 2019, just hours after meeting David Bogdanov, then 25, and exchanging messages on Snapchat. KOIN NEWS REPORT: She vanished more than two weeks ago and today was listed on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children website. DET. DAVID JENSEN: David, are you aware that this is recording? DAVID BOGDANOV: I offered her my jacket 'cause it was really cold outside. DAVID BOGDANOV: I said do you want some vodka cause I got some if you want to have a drink, just to relax a little bit. And she said sure. Um, so. I just gave her the bottle. DAVID BOGDANOV: I did give her my Snapchat name, um, wanted to just exchange Snapchats, and she didn't have a phone with her. DAVID BOGDANOV: We were kinda just parked there in the driveway chit-chatting a little bit and — and then she told me that she's not a she. DAVID BOGDANOV: I was shocked to find that out. And just uncomfortable and really, really disturbed. And I asked her to please get out of the car, 'cause this is just really weird for me. … She just got out of the car and I took off. DAVID BOGDANOV: For me it's even disturbing when I'm around like a gay person or somebody bi or transsexual or something else. … I just got disgusted and I asked her to just get out. DAVID BOGDANOV: I wish I could help you more but I — I — I don't know. I'm not the kind of person to — I'm not even a violent person at all, you know, nothing. DET. DAVID JENSEN [to David Bogdanov]: Sorry for interruptin' your commute this morning… DET. DAVID JENSEN: Sounded like you said, you were going to go to your job site.  DET. DAVID JENSEN: And that's when you were like – DET. DAVID JENSEN: So, at the time that we talked, I didn't have the benefit of all of your phone records, OK. But now there's been some initial analysis done.  So you left – your phone left ... and then went east — out past Larch Mountain. DAVID BOGDANOV: Think I wanna talk with a lawyer. LISA WOODS [at press conference]: She was a rainbow of light.  She was so confident in who she was. LISA WOODS | KOIN NEWS REPORT 12/20/19 at vigil: I believe this man … I believe he killed her because she was a transgender (sic).  I believe that with all my heart.  DAVID BOGDANOV [on witness stand]: She's jumping for my gun … and all I can think is…"Oh my God, I'm gonna get shot right now."  ERIN MCALEER: Our client did not strangle Nikki Kuhnhausen, causing her death, because she's transgendered (sic). Nikki Kuhnhausen is now deceased because Mr. Bogdanov had to defend himself against her attacking him and possibly killing him. COLIN HAYES: The defendant murdered Nikki after finding out she was transgender. The defendant murdered Nikki because his respect for human life was outweighed by his hatred for those who are gay and those who are transgender. DAVID BOGDANOV: I was taught that it is a sin. And it's not OK. ERIN MCALEER: And what was Nikki doing at that point? DAVID BOGDANOV: She was smoking something out of a pipe.  DAVID BOGDANOV: That transitioned to us making out. DAVID BOGDANOV: I was in shock. I just felt deceived. … I freak out and I push her back. … And I start freaking out saying, "you didn't tell me, you're a dude." …  And started yelling at her that she's a disgusting piece of crap.  DAVID BOGDANOV: She kinda picked up her foot to try to just kick me with her foot from the passenger side. And … she just jumps up and goes towards the center console towards my gun. DAVID BOGDANOV: I grab that cable and put it around her … and pull her back like that and hold her hold her from going forward, to the gun.  DAVID BOGDANOV: The whole time she's trying to fight me and just reaching back and scratching at my face, trying to gouge my eyes. DAVID BOGDANOV: First thing I think is I need to call the police. And then I think that they're not going to believe me. You know, I've been up all night, not sober. There's drugs in the car. There's a dead person in the backseat. … At that point, I thought I need to get rid of the body.  DAVID BOGDANOV: I pulled her out of the car and there is that spot by the road, where the hill just went down really steep, I just kind of pushed her down that.  ERIN MCALEER: Can you tell the jury why, why you left the country?  KRISTEN ARNAUD: His motivation the entire time has been … his hate, his rage, his shame for finding out that Nikki was transgender. It's not about fear. This case is NOT about self-defense.  MATTHEW HOFF: Nikki Kuhnhausen is not here today, not because she was transgender, but because Mr. Bogdanov was put in a life and death situation. JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: We the jury find the above-named defendant guilty of the crime of murder in the second degree, as charged in count one. Verdict form count two: we the jury find the above-named defendant guilty of the crime of malicious harassment. LISA WOODS | VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT: [Crying] I won't see her smile, watch her graduate, see her married or watch her grow.  JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: It conjures up old childhood legends of the boogeyman, of trust gone terribly wrong. JUDGE DAVID GREGERSON: The movement towards something resembling justice may be seen as a step in the greater overall movement from darkness toward light. In this court's view, that can and should be Nikki Kuhnhausen's legacy. DEVON DAVIS WILLIAMSON [addressing at a vigil held after sentencing]: Nikki's story has allowed us to take a giant leap forward.

Four months later in a meeting with police, Bogdanov told them the last time he had seen Kuhnhausen was when he asked her to get out of his car, after she told him she was transgender. DAVID BOGDANOV: Yep. DET. DAVID JENSEN: OK. DAVID BOGDANOV: I went to work. DAVID BOGDANOV: Basically kicked her out of the van… DAVID BOGDANOV: [Sits in stunned silence.] DET. DAVID JENSEN: OK, all right.  So, you're being arrested today for the murder of Nikki Kuhnhausen, whose remains have been discovered, who was strangled to death, OK. … Stand up for me please. ERIN MCALEER: Was there touching or anything else? DAVID BOGDANOV: I'm thinking, you know, I just was deceived by this person … and this person's high on meth … and all I can think is, "oh my God, I'm going to get shot right now." ERIN MCALEER: So, at some point does she stop struggling? DAVID BOGDANOV: This was a very humiliating thing that happened to me … I just wanted to put this behind me, like wishing it never happened.  DAVID BOGDANOV: I was scared. An emotional wreck. And I was thinking I knew I needed to quit my drinking. And that I likely would not have been in this situation if I hadn't been drinking … And I just wanted to get away.

He told police he was "shocked to find that out. And just uncomfortable and really, really disturbed." Bogdanov told police he had no idea where Kuhnhausen went after she left him. DAVID BOGDANOV: To take with her. DET. DAVID JENSEN: Yeah, you went to work. DET. DAVID JENSEN: — I'm not into this…and kicked her out of the van, sent her on her way. DET. DAVID JENSEN: What happened on that trip? DAVID BOGDANOV: Yes.  DAVID BOGDANOV: Yes.