{"id":27564,"date":"2026-01-23T15:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T23:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/family-members-of-retired-nurse-stabbed-to-death-in-rolling-hills-estates-ask-for-maximum-sentence-for-killer-daily-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T15:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T23:49:09","slug":"family-members-of-retired-nurse-stabbed-to-death-in-rolling-hills-estates-ask-for-maximum-sentence-for-killer-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/family-members-of-retired-nurse-stabbed-to-death-in-rolling-hills-estates-ask-for-maximum-sentence-for-killer-daily-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Family members of retired nurse stabbed to death in Rolling Hills Estates ask for maximum sentence for killer \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Family Members of Retired Nurse Killed in Rolling Hills Estates Ask for Maximum Sentence<\/h1>\n

Introduction to the Case<\/h2>\n

Family members of a retired nurse who was killed in the parking structure of a Rolling Hills Estates mall nearly eight years ago told a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Friday, Jan. 23, that had her killer merely asked, she would have helped.
\nCherie Townsend, convicted in December of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 66-year-old Susan Leeds of Rancho Palos Verdes, kept her head forward and lightly shook her head multiple times as Leeds\u2019 stepchildren spoke to the judge.
\nTownsend, 47, who faces a possible sentence of 26 years to life in state prison, never once looked back at the speakers.
\nSusan Leeds is shown in security footage the day she was killed at the Promenade on the Peninsula mall. (Photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
\nShe is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 6 so a close friend of Leeds, who was not available on Friday, can speak to the court.<\/p>\n

Remembering Susan Leeds<\/h2>\n

Six family members remembered \u201cSuzy\u201d as the \u201cglue of the family\u201d and the \u201ckindest, gentlest\u201d caretaker who always took time to remind people to smile and be happy; she comforted without judging, and she made others feel safe and seen. Leeds loved baking cookies and finding new activities to do with her grandchildren.
\n\u201cShe was a nurse who dedicated her life to helping others,\u201d stepson Benjamin Leeds said. \u201cCompassion defined who she was.\u201d
\nHer husband fell into a deep depression following her death, which \u201cbroke him beyond repair and hastened his death,\u201d said Julie Leeds, a stepdaughter.
\nMost spoke of their fear of getting in and out of their vehicles in parking lots since her death. Some told the judge they instead park on a busy street several blocks away.
\nThey asked the judge to hand out the maximum sentence.<\/p>\n

The Crime and Investigation<\/h2>\n

Just past 12:10 p.m. on May 3, 2018, Leeds returned to her SUV in the parking structure of the Promenade on the Peninsula Mall in Rolling Hills Estates and was attacked by Townsend, who stabbed her 17 times and slashed her throat before getting into her gold Chevy Malibu and fleeing, according to evidence presented at trial.
\nThe murder was the first in Rolling Hills Estates in nearly a decade.
\nProsecutors argued that Townsend was desperate for money to pay for plane tickets for her, her daughter and three of her daughter\u2019s friends so that her daughter could compete in a cheer competition in Florida. They presented evidence that Townsend had searched the mall and whether a high-end Equinox gym was there, then arrived and waited nearly three hours for a vulnerable victim.
\n\u201cShe researched and selected the most affluent neighborhood \u2026 to target the right victim,\u201d said Julie Leeds, a stepdaughter. \u201cAfter three hours, she chose Suzy to take her rage out on.\u201d
\nTownsend\u2019s defense attorney argued that there was no physical evidence tying Townsend to the murder, nor any direct eye witnesses. Neither Townsend\u2019s fingerprints nor blood were found on Leeds or in her SUV.
\nBut detectives found Townsend\u2019s phone underneath Leeds\u2019 SUV.
\nGPS data from the victim\u2019s phone showed it pinging off of cell towers in the same general direction that Townsend drove while fleeing from the mall after the murder.
\nFollowing a weeks-long trial, jurors convicted Townsend of first-degree murder in less than a day of deliberating.
\n\u201cThe very best part of her is what made her vulnerable,\u201d said Autumn Robinson, Leeds\u2019 stepdaughter.<\/p>\n

Aftermath and Sentencing<\/h2>\n

Townsend was released from custody following her first arrest. She filed a lawsuit against the county and the Sheriff\u2019s Department, while also demanding that then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell declare her innocence. But in August 2023, Townsend was again arrested, and then charged with murder and robbery. The robbery charge was dropped before trial because of the statute of limitations.
\n\u201cThe defendant acted like the victim,\u201d Robinson said, adding, along with others, that Townsend has not shown accountability or any remorse.
\nSome of the stepchildren told the judge that had Townsend simply asked for help, Susan Leeds would have provided it and more.
\nInstead, Robinson said, \u201cHer bright light was snuffed out, and it\u2019s made the world a darker place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The family of Susan Leeds has been forever changed by her tragic death. They remember her as a kind and compassionate person who would have helped her killer if only she had been given the chance. The sentencing of Cherie Townsend will bring some closure to the family, but it will never bring back the loving mother, wife, and friend that they lost.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n