49-year-old woman struck her 43-year-old roommate, whom she had dated occasionally, with a hatchet until he died just because God told her to before setting his body on fire; charged

Washington – In a disturbing case out of Washington state, a 49-year-old woman named K. Feyhl is facing serious charges after allegedly killing her 43-year-old roommate, R. Schnepf, by repeatedly striking him with a hatchet and setting his body on fire—actions she claimed were justified because “God told her to.” What first appeared to be a routine apartment fire quickly escalated into a homicide investigation when first responders made the grim discovery in the early morning of September 16.

Feyhl is now charged with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and first-degree arson. She has entered a plea of not guilty and remains in custody at the county jail while awaiting her next court appearance, set for October 9.

Authorities say the killing occurred in the apartment Feyhl and Schnepf shared. According to police, she confessed to hitting him multiple times in the head with a hatchet while he slept. During questioning, Feyhl claimed she thought Schnepf was a demon and insisted she acted based on divine guidance. Fire crews were dispatched to the apartment complex at 7:48 a.m. following reports of a fire. Inside, they found a man dead and Feyhl sitting nearby on a playground.

When approached by firefighters, Feyhl was assessed for smoke exposure. When asked about anyone else in the apartment, she responded that only her roommate had been inside. She then admitted to both igniting the fire and killing Schnepf. These admissions were confirmed during a follow-up interview with police. Feyhl said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Schnepf for several years. She told investigators that she feared he was going to harm her and believed a divine message had warned her that he was a “demon.” She also said a “voice” told her to carry out the killing.

On the night it happened, Feyhl claimed she waited in her room for Schnepf to come in and attack her. When he didn’t, she armed herself with a hatchet, went into his room, and found him asleep on the bed. That’s when she attacked, striking him repeatedly in the head. Believing he might still be alive, she then doused his body with rubbing alcohol and lit it with a lighter. The fire damaged parts of the room and caught the attention of nearby residents, leading to the emergency call.

As investigators combed through the scene, they found significant evidence: blood stains across several walls, the hatchet hidden under the mattress with blood and hair still on it, and the alcohol bottle used in the fire sitting on the bed. Feyhl was also still carrying the lighter at the time she was taken into custody. The medical examiner later confirmed that Schnepf’s death was caused by multiple hatchet wounds to the head, officially ruling it a homicide.

The brutal nature of the crime and Feyhl’s bizarre justification have unsettled many in the local community. While no mental health-related charges have been filed yet, Feyhl’s references to “voices” and “demons” have raised serious concerns. For now, the case moves forward as a straightforward murder prosecution. One man is dead, and the woman who called him both a partner and a threat faces the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison.