Teen accused of stabbing his grandmother in Bothell claims he ‘heard voices’

BOTHELL — A woman pleaded with her grandson to spare her life as he attacked her with a kitchen knife, according to new court documents.

The woman, 58, told detectives the teenager pounced on her bed “like a lion” and “hammered” her with a knife. She fought him and screamed so loud that she alerted her neighbors.

Prosecutors have charged Bjorn Anderson, 19, with attempted first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty Monday. A judge ordered him held on $500,000 bail.

Anderson allegedly told Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives he heard voices and became focused on killing his grandmother. When detectives asked him why, Anderson allegedly said he did it so he would have direction in his life and a place to go, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Julie Walters wrote. He also said he knew wouldn’t get away with the crime.

Detectives were told that there was tension between Anderson and his grandmother over his living situation. He had moved in with her in September after he was kicked out of his mother’s home for using drugs, Walters wrote. His grandmother made it clear that her lease wouldn’t allow him to stay any longer than a couple of weeks.

The woman had asked him to leave but he refused. Several days before the June 8 attack the woman’s landlord told Anderson he had to leave. That interaction appeared to go smoothly and the woman believed that situation was handled, Walters wrote.

On June 8, she awoke to Anderson standing at the foot of her bed. He didn’t say anything but pounced on her and repeatedly stabbed her, court papers said. She fought for her life and screamed for help. He eventually got off the bed and left.

The woman had been stabbed in the arms and legs at least eight times.

Officers found the man hiding in some bushes not far from the Bothell apartment.

He allegedly told detectives he took the biggest knife from the kitchen and felt like he had to attack his grandmother.

“‘It was like a, like blood, like I just needed to see blood,’” Anderson allegedly said.

Anderson doesn’t have any criminal history.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.