Judge cites mental illness, substance abuse in sentencing of woman in deadly stabbing

SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane County judge on Thursday sentenced 35-year-old Kelly Hyde to 15 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault for a violent attack that left her stepfather dead and her mother injured.

The crime occurred in June 2024 at a home in west Spokane, where Hyde was living with both victims. According to Spokane County court documents, the incident stemmed from a domestic violence dispute among the three family members.

Hyde admitted to stabbing both her mother and stepfather during the altercation. Her stepfather, David Johnson, died as a result of the attack. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services later determined Hyde suffers from unspecified schizophrenia and psychotic disorder. In a self-report to the state, Hyde also acknowledged a history of drug and alcohol abuse…

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