Entitled killer involved in shooting of innocent mom during home invasion moans about being moved from juvie to adult prison because he feels UNSAFE
A teenager involved in the gruesome murder of an innocent mother during a home invasion is suing to be transferred to an adult prison.
Caya Lenay, in her early 20s, was transferred from the Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Green Hill facility to an adult facility due to overcrowding.
The convicted murderer, who was involved in the death of Julie Knechtel, 54, in December 2017 at the age of 15, said he felt his safety had been “put at risk”.
“Why should our rehabilitation, our safety and security, programming and all of those things be taken away and overlooked just based on a mistake that they neglected?” he said. Fox 13 during a phone call to the prison.
“Why should this fall on our shoulders?” he continued. “I think we should all have had the opportunity to be heard, to show who we are and to talk about our accomplishments.”
Caya Lenay (pictured), who is in her early 20s, was moved from DCYF’s Green Hill facility to an adult facility due to overcrowding. “Why should our rehabilitation, our safety and security, programming and all of those things be taken away and overlooked just based on a mistake that they neglected?” he said.
Lenay was involved in the death of Julie Knechtel, 54, (pictured) in December 2017 at the age of 15
Lenay recently graduated with an associate degree in arts from Centralia College, 85 miles south of Seattle.
He received Phi Theta Kappa, President’s List, Capital Classroom and Made Men awards, according to The Chronicle.
More than 40 young adults enrolled in the juvenile program — which allows those serving serious child sex offenses to remain in juvenile detention centers until age 25 — were transferred to an adult facility without warning.
Lenay and 10 other inmates were transferred to the same facility, which has not been named, after Green Hill was 30 percent over its recommended capacity earlier this month, Fox 13 reported.
DCYF announced earlier this month that Echo Green and Green Hill would no longer accept new inmates due to overcrowding.
“They failed to find a solution to the overcrowding and those situations, they agreed to that. So I don’t think that should be on our shoulders,” Lenay, who was seen wearing Gucci on his Facebook page, argued on Fox 13.
Lenay (left) recently graduated with an Associate’s degree in Arts from Centralia College, located about 85 miles south of Seattle. He received honors in Phi Theta Kappa, President’s List, Capital Classroom and Made Men
More than 40 young adults who were enrolled in the youth program were transferred to an adult facility without warning. Lenay (pictured at graduation) and 10 other inmates were transferred to the same facility
Prisoners were not told prior to the move that they would be transferred to an adult facility and were not allowed to call home for security reasons. For many prisoners, the sudden move came as a surprise.
The prisoners were handcuffed and strip-searched before being moved.
According to Fox 13, all of the selected inmates were over the age of 18 and would be transferred to an adult facility at age 25.
Lenay, who has written two memoirs about his past called Living by the Sword, is frustrated by the situation, however. He says he had entered the Washington State rehabilitation program but was kicked out early.
Lenay (pictured in 2018) was involved in the murder of Knechtel along with four other teenagers in December 2017 – 20 days before Lenay’s 16th birthday
DCYF, which was sued two years ago for prematurely transferring prisoners, said it was aware it violated the settlement agreement reached in that case by transferring the prisoners without warning.
According to Fox 13, the agency argued that this situation warranted special circumstances and therefore it was not necessary to honor the agreement, which requires a review board, notice of the move and contact with an attorney prior to the move.
“The internal review process that we have is very much about individual behavior and individual incidents,” said Allison Krutsinger, DCYF director of public affairs.
“This transfer was primarily based on the conditions of the entire facility and the entire JR population. The decision was made based on a different justification, namely the conditions of the entire facility and safety and security.”
DCYF announced earlier this month that neither Echo Green nor Green Hill (pictured) would accept new inmates due to overcrowding
Attorney Sarah Nagy, who filed a writ of injunction on behalf of the 43 transferred inmates, argued that “due process requirements” do “apply.”
“That’s what all these kids should have gotten, but none of them got any of that,” she told Fox 13.
The order, which was heard by a judge on Friday, requires the detainees to be returned within seven days.
Lenay was involved with four other teens in the murder of Knechtel in December 2017 – 20 days before Lenay’s 16th birthday, according to Herald Net.
The teens went to rob Knechtel at the Village Green Mobile Home Park around 5 a.m. She was shot in the heart and lungs when she tried to help her 17-year-old daughter, who was also shot.
The Lynnwood resident pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in adult court in October 2018 and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.