Attempted murder trial over 2025 Bellingham bus stop stabbing begins
The trial of a Bellingham man accused of stabbing a man last year began Wednesday morning in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Bennie Demetrius Washington Jr., 25, was arrested June 17, 2025, and charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Court records show Washington and 18-year-old Jose-Juarez Montez of Everett walked up to Washington’s former roommate, Tony Kilbert, at a Bellingham bus stop and began to fight him.
Kilbert and Washington had fought in the past, Kilbert testified Wednesday, and Washington had sent Kilbert threatening messages in the days leading up to the incident. Kilbert said he did not know Juarez-Montez.
Kilbert said he was waiting at the bus stop at 600 Dupont St. when Washington’s father, who was Kilbert’s former coworker, called and warned him that his son was going to attack him.
Kilbert then saw Washington run toward him with Juarez-Montez. He and Juarez-Montez got into a fight, and a witness reported seeing Kilbert on top of Juarez-Montez punching him. The witness said Washington then came up behind Kilbert to try to pull him off of Juarez-Montez.
Kilbert said he felt a “sharp pinch” in his shoulder and went into “panic mode.” He testified that he was stabbed again while he was trying to get away, and all he could think was “God, please don’t let me die right now.”
Washington and Juarez-Montez insulted him and then left the scene, Kilbert said. He was taken to the hospital and treated for a fractured vertebra and punctured diaphragm.
Both Washington and Juarez-Montez were seen on surveillance footage approaching the area and were found in the vicinity following the stabbing, court records show. Washington had blood on his hands that, according to prosecutors, was determined to be Kilbert’s.
Washington’s attorney called into question the credibility of Kilbert’s testimony, pointing out that he was “incredibly compromised” at the time due to a high blood alcohol level. He also said no knife was ever recovered.
Juarez-Montez pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in November and was sentenced to three years in prison. He will be called as a witness in Washington’s trial.