Suspect in stabbing death of 3-year-old at birthday party was on probation for theft in St. George

Timmy Kinner appears before 4th District Magistrate Judge Russell Comstock in a video arraignment with public defender Dan Dinger, July 2, 2018, at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho. A 3-year-old Idaho girl who was stabbed at her own birthday party died Monday, two days after Kinner invaded the celebration and attacked nine people with a knife, authorities said. | Photo courtesy of Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via Associated Press, St. George News

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A 3-year-old Idaho girl who was stabbed at her birthday party died Monday, two days after a man invaded the celebration and attacked nine people with a knife, authorities said.

Timmy Kinner is accused of stabbing a group of children and the adults who tried to protect them at the party at an apartment complex that is home to many refugee families.

Ibod Hasn, center, talks to a friend who came to visit after Saturday’s stabbing attack at a child’s birthday party in Boise, Idaho, July 1, 2018. | Photo courtesy of Meiying Wu/Idaho Statesman via Associated Press, St. George News

Word of the child’s death came at Kinner’s first court appearance, where Ada County Magistrate Judge Russell Comstock told him that he was charged with first-degree murder and other felonies in connection with the Saturday night attack.

Comstock told Kinner he was “an extreme danger to the community” and ordered him held without bond.

According to court documents, Kinner had been arrested April 16 in St. George and charged with misdemeanor theft after a man reported that Kinner had stolen his wallet, which contained $700.

The man said Kinner had told him he was staying at Switchpoint. Based on the description the man provided, police were able to identify Kinner through Switchpoint.

After pleading no contest to the charge, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail, but the sentence was stayed and he was placed on probation for 18 months, fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $700 in restitution. He was released April 19.

Kinner is American, and the victims are members of refugee families from Syria, Iraq and Ethiopia. Boise Police Chief William Bones said the evidence does not suggest the attack was a hate crime.

The suspect had recently stayed at the apartment complex but was asked to leave Friday over bad behavior, Bones said.

Boise Police Chief Bill Bones reacts while releasing child victims’ ages at a news conference for Saturday’s stabbing attack that happened in Boise, at Police and Fire City Hall of Boise in Boise, Idaho, Sunday, July 1, 2018. | Photo courtesy of Meiying Wu/Idaho Statesman via Associated Press, St. George News

The 30-year-old appeared in court through closed-circuit video, a common practice for first appearances in Idaho. Wearing a tattered, off-white sweatshirt with his arms shackled to his waist, Kinner told the judge he didn’t understand the charges or proceedings. He also said he wanted to represent himself.

The judge ordered that he be appointed a public defender anyway.

“I can’t explain the charges any more clearly than I just did,” he told Kinner.

Three of the stabbing victims were adults, the others children: the 3-year-old girl who died, two 4-year-olds, a 6-year-old, an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old.

If convicted, Kinner could be eligible for execution under Idaho law. Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said her office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty, saying those “high-level decisions” are made only after all the facts are in.

Monday evening hundreds of people turned out at a vigil honoring members of refugee families targeted in the stabbing.

The gathering was held at City Hall and featured more than a dozen baskets filled with white flowers. A speaker asked for a moment of prayer.

Written by REBECCA BOONE, Associated Press

St. George News contributed to this report.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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11 Comments

  • Figure it out later July 2, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    This piece of S@#t needs to find a better place to exsist….

  • DRT July 2, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    “After pleading no contest to the charge, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail, but the sentence was stayed and he was placed on probation for 18 months, fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $700 in restitution. He was released April 19.”

    Good call. Real good call. Idiots.

    • Badshitzoo July 3, 2018 at 7:39 am

      They’re just people like you, and I. Would you want someone blaming you for following sentencing protocols, because your powers of prediction were offline that day? This guy did time back east too, in the south somewhere for a Felony “Aggravated” offense of some kind. Most of the “bad guys” get released eventually.

      • DRT July 3, 2018 at 8:43 am

        Horsecrap! You may be as thick as some of these judges, but I am not.

        • Badshitzoo July 3, 2018 at 1:49 pm

          Well, that was the politest “You’re a dumb…” remark I’ve ever been hit with. We could probably be friends in real life; unfortunately, hiding behind our keyboard shields (that make us invisible) doesn’t qualify as “life” or “living”. And I’ve got some fly fishing to do up on the upper Provo river, where there are beautiful trees, and shade, and a canyon that keeps things cool, and beautiful in even the hottest of Summer days! Wish me luck!

          Oh! PS, It sounds like you have some kind of “Nuclear Option” on the table ? What would you suggest ?
          Ed. ellipsis

    • Rob83 July 3, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      It’s all about fine perps up the wa-zoo for profit, making the perps more pissed off, no excuse for this a** though wish he’d have got lost in the woods before making it up to Idaho. Slow torturous death is what he should get!

  • youcandoit July 2, 2018 at 10:36 pm

    Sounds like something I went through with a guy I dated a yr ago he would freak out and not remember what or why he eventually ended up in jail after he allegedly stole a van and assaulted police officers. I personally think he has identity dissociation disorder. Those kind of personalities are scary I’ve witnessed my ex alter personality change. Yes I got rid of that quick I didn’t need another headache or case

  • Mean Momma July 2, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    This angers me on so many levels. Please just put this piece of trash in the ground where he belongs. I hope he gets some good old fashioned prison justice.

    • Badshitzoo July 3, 2018 at 8:00 am

      Doh! Just a “heads up” but your Username might give people the idea you were a little predisposed, or premeditated to being angry. You’ll never get picked for jury duty with that “attitude!” And neither will I, will I ? You are a clever one You are! I would like to subscribe to your news letter!

  • LunchboxHero July 3, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    Where’s BLM? Al Sharpton? Hello…anyone?

  • comments July 3, 2018 at 10:04 pm

    A little bit like a typical day in the Congo. This is why I want the leftists to go. They need to experience the beauty of different cultures. They are too closed minded and “XENOPHOBIC”.

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