Cherie Townsend, 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2018 killing of retired nurse Susan Leeds, 66, in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Townsend was accused of murdering Leeds to rob her and fund her teenage daughter’s cheerleading trip. The verdict came seven years after Townsend’s initial arrest, release, and later rearrest in the case.​
According to prosecutors, surveillance showed Townsend’s gold Chevy Malibu entering the mall parking structure where the murder occurred. Leeds was stabbed 17 times in the neck and torso. Townsend’s cellphone was found under Leeds’ SUV at the crime scene, and police traced Leeds’ phone moving in the same direction Townsend was seen on camera. Townsend later closed the phone account at a Verizon store, raising suspicion.​
Townsend gave conflicting stories about her whereabouts the day of the murder, contradicting surveillance footage. Prosecutors highlighted her financial distress and Google searches for ways to make money illegally, including duplicating credit cards and robbing coin-operated machines. Townsend needed $2,000 to fund her daughter’s cheerleading trip and asked the daughter’s friends for money, but no plane tickets were purchased.​
Townsend had previously sued the county claiming innocence, but this lawsuit was dismissed after her second arrest in 2023. She is scheduled for sentencing on January 23, 2026.
