Teenager Gets 15 Years in Prison for Brutal Stabbing She Described as 'Absolutely Fascinating'
An Austin teenager who stabbed a woman multiple times in 2015 has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
In the fall of 2015, Pearl Ophelia Moen stabbed a woman sleeping in Hyde Park in Austin, Texas, 21 times in an act she described as "absolutely fantastic" in her diary. The victim, a 23-year-old nurse whose name has not been revealed, survived the assault albeit with grave injuries including massive blood loss, a collapsed lung, and permanent nerve and tendon damage.
Moen, who was 17 at the time, carried out the attack because she was, in her own words, a "homicidal maniac (with) a deep hatred for people," according to entries in her diary which her mother turned over to investigating authorities. The diary also had a drawing of a male and female lying on a blanket, which, according to police, was exactly what the victim and a male friend were doing just prior to the attack, reports CBS News.
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The harrowing diary entries were submitted as court documents during Moen's criminal proceedings. An excerpt from Moen's diary shows the extent of her psychosis during the incident:
"So, okay, I'll start with the exciting bit. I stabbed an innocent woman to death earlier today. (technically yesterday since it's 1 am). It was absolutely fantastic. Murder gives me a high unlike any other, it feels like this crisp unreality. Flashing & sparkling. Adrenaline & shock. Fight or flight mode. How do I even go about describing it. The whole thing was unreal. I'm so proud of myself. I stabbed her like 20 times. Maybe more. I wasn't counting. She screamed & grabbed at me saying "what the f***?! Help. Leave." For now, I should explain why. Other than the fact that I'm a homicidal psychopath. I have a deep hatred towards people right now...Yesterday I lost my other gold ring I've worn all my life on a chain as it was ripped off by a girl I was murdering. Fate is weird..."
Moen was arrested on February 28 for attempted murder and has since been incarcerated at the Travis County Jail. Margaret Moore, the Travis County DA, said that Pearl had a history of drug use and psychological issues, but no criminal record.
Pearl Moen was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted murder (a criminal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years). The victim of her premeditated assault was present at the sentencing and was glad at the outcome. "It means a lot. I always thought she would walk around with guilt, but knowing she had this joy and this pride is very unsettling," the victim told KXAN. She also added that she was "glad the defendant stabbed her rather than a child, an elderly person or someone who could not defend themselves."
