Star Murrah Washington State woman stabbed to death after denied restraining order against estranged husband, Michael Murrah. Man said he came to fulfill a prophecy.
A Washington state man is accused of stabbing to death his estranged wife, months after a court denied her a permanent restraining order against him.
Cops claimed in court records that Michael Ryan Murrah, 45, called the victim ‘starbeast’ to authorities and said he killed her to ‘fulfill a prophecy.’
Murrah showed up Sunday morning at the woman’s home in Vancouver with a Bible in his hand before confronting Monica Murrah, police said in a probable cause affidavit cited by KOIN-TV.
‘Michael said he later killed his wife in ‘cold blood,’ stating he stabbed her multiple times in the area of her neck,’ the affidavit stated.
Monica, also known as Star Murrah, had tried to get a permanent restraining order against her husband as the couple were entangled in a divorce battle — but a court rejected her request.
In the application, Star Murrah said she feared for her life and the life of their 8-year-old son.
Denied permanent order of protection
‘Michael has threatened suicide during arguments,’ she wrote in her filing, according to KOIN. ‘One time he even grabbed a large knife and sat outside our bedroom threatening to kill himself. I’m terrified if he does, what if he kills me and our son also.’
She had gotten a temporary restraining order in July 2020, and said he’d gotten high and hit her and choked her on several occasions, the Columbian reported. Her husband had also choked the then-7-year-old son, the report said.
The restraining order was denied after a full hearing in August over insufficient grounds, The Columbian said. Star Murrah filed for divorce around the same time.
‘A preponderance of the evidence has not established that there is domestic violence,’ a hearing ruled.
Vancouver police had contacted the couple before. Officers were called for reports of a domestic violence assault in November 2017. They did not arrest anyone that day but gave both Star and Michael Murrah domestic violence information sheets, according to court records.
When police were called to the Murrah house at around 10:40 a.m. Sunday, they found Michael Murrah holding a knife with blood on his hands, the Oregonian reported. The son was home but unharmed.
Michael Murrah is facing a first-degree murder charge with $2 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 19.
