43-year-old man died after his 49-year-old roommate he dated occasionally repeatedly struck him with a hatchet, then set his body on fire just because God told her to; roommate charged
Washington – In a harrowing incident in the state of Washington, a 49-year-old woman, identified as K. Feyhl, has been arrested in connection with the death of her 49-year-old roommate, identified as R. Schnepf, whom she repeatedly struck with a hatchet and then set on fire, all because, according to her, “God told her to.” Schnepf was found dead in the early morning hours of September 16 in what first appeared to be an apartment fire but quickly turned into a homicide investigation.
Feyhl has been charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and first-degree arson. She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment and remains in custody at the county jail, awaiting her next court appearance scheduled for October 9.
Prosecutors allege Feyhl murdered Schnepf inside their shared apartment, striking him repeatedly in the head with a hatchet while he was asleep. She later admitted to investigators that she believed Schnepf was a demon and claimed she acted on divine instruction. Firefighters were dispatched to the location at 7:48 a.m., responding to reports of a fire in the complex. Upon arrival, they found one man dead inside the unit and a woman, later identified as Feyhl, sitting calmly on a playground nearby.
When first responders found her, Feyhl was checked for smoke inhalation. Firefighters asked if anyone else had been in the apartment, and she told them only her roommate was inside. That’s when she admitted not only to starting the fire but also to killing Schnepf. She repeated the admission during a police interview. Feyhl told officers she had been dating Schnepf occasionally for about three to four years. She believed he was going to kill her and said she had received a message from God warning her that Schnepf was a “demon.” A “voice” also allegedly urged her to kill him.
On the night of the attack, Feyhl said she waited in her room, expecting Schnepf to enter and harm her. When he never did, she retrieved a hatchet, entered his room, and saw him sleeping on top of the covers. That’s when she struck him multiple times in the head. Still not convinced he was dead, Feyhl then poured rubbing alcohol over Schnepf’s body and set it on fire. The fire scorched parts of the room and alerted neighbors, prompting the 911 call.
When investigators processed the scene, they found blood spatter on multiple walls, the hatchet with blood and hair under the mattress, and the bottle of rubbing alcohol on the bed near the body. Feyhl still had the lighter in her possession at the time of her arrest. The county medical examiner confirmed that Schnepf died from multiple hatchet blows to the head and ruled the case a homicide.
Feyhl’s arrest and the violent nature of the crime have shaken the community. Prosecutors have not indicated whether they plan to pursue additional charges related to mental health, though Feyhl’s statements referencing divine voices and demons have already added disturbing complexity to the case. For now, the case proceeds as a clear-cut homicide. A man is dead, a woman faces decades behind bars, and a community is left stunned by a killing driven not by a known dispute or argument but by voices and visions Feyhl says she couldn’t ignore.
