A man who stabbed four people, one of them fatally, in Downtown Redding last year will spend the rest of his life in prison. Last October 32-year-old Christopher Witcher was staying at a former motel being used to provide transitional housing and counseling services. He waited until staff gathered for a meeting and then went inside and started stabbing Donna Ceremony, who later died. Tim Kesler tried to stop him and was stabbed 8 times. Eugene Sims and Edward Williams also were stabbed when they intervened. After the attack Witcher ran away but he was caught by Redding Police. 5 months earlier Witcher had been in a Colorado prison for stabbing his stepfather. Witcher tried to claim insanity but multiple exams refuted that and he was going to stand trial. Tuesday Witcher pled guilty to first degree murder with special circumstances. In December he’ll be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 16 years.
-Steve Gibson