A former Virginia college student will spend the next 20 years behind bars for killing her roommate. She pleaded guilty on Monday to second-degree murder.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 21-year-old Luisa Ines Tudela Harris Cutting stabbed 20-year-old Alexa Cannon to death in their shared apartment off of the 1200 block of Clement Street in Radford. The apartment complex is a few blocks away from Radford University, where both women were students.
Authorities responded to the scene on January 24, 2019, after a 911 call. The 911 dispatcher reported hearing a woman screaming “and making reference to a knife.” When officers arrived at the apartment, they were met by Cutting, who admitted to attacking Alexa.
“Arrest me. I killed her,” Cutting said as she put her hands in the air, according to an arrest warrant.
The arrest warrant also indicated authorities found Cannon lying on the floor inside the apartment, in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds inflicted. A butcher knife was protruding from the victim’s mouth, according to Roanoke Times.
Police said the suspect was covered in blood, but uninjured.
Police said Cutting was “rambling and bizarre series of episodes” when they questioned her. She repeated the Hail Mary in Spanish and referred to the Apocalypse. Cutting said she did “cocaine with the devil” prior to attacking her roommate, according to NBC 10.
She also admitted taking numerous drugs, including Adderall, cocaine, marijuana, mushrooms, and Xanax.
When she arrived at jail, Cutting attempted to shove her entire hand in her mouth and acted so bizarrely that she spent a week undergoing a mental health evaluation.
The Roanoke Times reports that Cutting took a plea deal in connection with Cannon’s death. With a plea deal, she received a 40-year sentence, which will be suspended after she serves 20 years. Upon release, she’ll be on probation for 10 years.
“There are no words for this tragedy and my heart is filled with sorrow and grief,” Cutting said. “My heart goes out to the Cannon family. I am so, so sorry.”
Alexa was a junior at Radford University and a member of the Latino Student Alliance. She was majoring in psychology. Family members remember Alexa as a sweet and bubbly person who had a talent for interior design. She’s survived by her parents and two younger sisters.
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[Feature Photo: Luisa Cutting/Police Handout; Alexa Cannon/Facebook]
