Posted on April 4, 2023

Virginia Woman Stabbed to Death in DC Hotel Room; Bloodied Suspect Charged

Aimee Cho et al., WRCTV, April 3, 2023

A Virginia woman was killed Friday after a man entered a Washington, D.C., hotel room and stabbed her more than 20 times, police and court documents say.

Christy Bautista, 31, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was visiting the District for a concert, her family said. She was brutally attacked less than an hour after checking into the Ivy City Hotel on New York Avenue NE {snip}

The suspect, George Sydnor Jr., 43, was found inside the hotel room with blood on his hands and clothing, according to court documents.

Sydnor was taken into police custody on the day of the attack and charged with first-degree murder. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty in court {snip}

The court documents, released Monday, shed light on how the horrifying attack unfolded.

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Sydnor was seen on security camera footage riding a red bike to the hotel parking lot about 6:45 p.m., then listening at the door to room 116 {snip}

Moments later, Sydnor was seen stepping into the hotel room, and security cameras captured the sounds of a possible struggle {snip}

A witness reported seeing a distressed female open the hotel room door and yell for help before a male pulled her back inside. That witness called 911. {snip}

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The D.C. Medical Examiner’s Office found Bautista had approximately 30 sharp force injuries, mostly to her back. {snip}

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Just down the street from the hotel, City Winery closed earlier this year, citing crime and safety concerns.

Stabbing Suspect Had Lengthy Criminal Record

Court records show he had been arrested many times before, including this past October for armed robbery.

A D.C. judge denied him bond in December, writing that Sydnor’s criminal history indicated he would pose a significant danger to the community.

Yet a different judge released Sydnor from jail less than two weeks later. He then failed to appear for a court hearing just eight days later.

He’s wanted in Maryland on other charges and is set to have an extradition hearing next month.

At the time of the attack, Sydnor was wanted on two arrest warrants for allegedly failing to appear in court on an attempted robbery charge in D.C. and a theft case in Prince George’s County.

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