Whitney M. Woodworth

Statesman Journal

A Salem man arrested in May 2016 for a meth-fueled stabbing at a Buddhist temple south of Salem was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday.

Jose Manuel Murillo, 24, who was initially charged with nine counts including attempted murder, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and first-degree burglary.

According to Marion County detectives, Murillo and his friend, Cynthia Veazey , 27, broke into the Buddhist Temple of Oregon the night of May 27 and smoked methamphetamine. Just after midnight, Murillo started hallucinating and told Veazey he was hearing voices. He threatened to stab her if she didn't help him find the voices.

After she was unable to calm him down, Murillo stabbed her more than 10 times with his pocket knife, cutting her head, arms, back, legs and hands and severing her finger. During the attack, he also allegedly forced her grandmother's ring down her throat, covered her face with a sweatshirt and threatened to smash her head with a rock. While he was searching for a rock, Veazey crawled away and hid in a thicket of blackberry bushes.

Monks discovered Veazey among the blackberry vines early in the morning. She was taken to Salem Health hospital in serious condition. An attending emergency room doctor said it was one of the strangest attacks the hospital had even seen, adding it was "not as much brutal as evil. Just evil."

Murillo was found wandering along Interstate 5 with a cut to his hand. He was arrested, taken to Marion County jail and held without bail.

In his plea petition, he admitted to breaking into the temple to use methamphetamine and recklessly injuring Veazey. As part of the plea agreement, three counts of attempted murder, one count of first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and one count of second-degree assault were dismissed. An attempted murder conviction would have resulted in a minimum sentence of 10 years.

At his sentencing on Wednesday, Murillo apologized for his actions.

"I'm just sorry that it happened," he said. "If I could go back in time, it would happen different."

Prosecutor Tiffany Underwood said the victim objected to the plea agreement and short prison term, but there was a growing concern about the possibility of a mental illness defense. Going to trial may have resulted in an acquittal or no prison time.

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Murillo's attorney filed a notice to rely on evidence of mental disease or defect as a defense in late January. A week later, both parties agreed to plea the case out.

"Although this is not an ideal solution, this is one that will result in a prison sentence," Underwood said.

Murillo's attorney, Jeffrey Jones , said his client's significant mental issues, paired with acute methamphetamine psychosis, caused the attack. After weighing several options, including the possibility of pleading guilty except for insanity, Murillo, his attorney and his family agreed a plea would be the best option.

Murillo had numerous open criminal cases in Marion County at the time of his arrest, including charges of criminal mischief, assault, theft and soliciting sex. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree mischief and fourth-degree assault; his remaining charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to a total of three years prison and five years probation. If his probation is revoked, he will face additional time in prison.

When delivering his sentence, Judge Courtland Geyer cited the seriousness of the attack and evidence of psychosis.

"I hope that this serves as a wake-up to you to never to drugs again for the rest of your life," he said.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth