Anastasia Nicolazzi

Without locating Nikki or other evidence that a crime had in fact occurred, the investigation was stuck at a standstill.

Without locating Nikki or other evidence that a crime had in fact occurred, the investigation was stuck at a standstill.

That is, until a local man on a walk in the woods made a disturbing discovery, turning the search for Nikki Kuhnhausen into not just a homicide case, but a rallying cry for historic change in the state of Washington.

That is, until a local man on a walk in the woods made a disturbing discovery, turning the search for Nikki Kuhnhausen into not just a homicide case, but a rallying cry for historic change in the state of Washington.

When law enforcement responded to the scene, they discovered several items that suggested that the remains were likely those of 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen, including rings she was known to wear and that she had been seen wearing on some of her social media posts.

When law enforcement responded to the scene, they discovered several items that suggested that the remains were likely those of 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen, including rings she was known to wear and that she had been seen wearing on some of her social media posts.

You might remember that large mountain where Nikki's remains were found was also the remote area where David Bogdanov's phone pinged on the night he admitted meeting Nikki Kuhnhausen. It was the connection that investigators needed to bring him back in for another round of questioning.

You might remember that large mountain where Nikki's remains were found was also the remote area where David Bogdanov's phone pinged on the night he admitted meeting Nikki Kuhnhausen. It was the connection that investigators needed to bring him back in for another round of questioning.

At that point, the detectives arrested Bogdanov, and he was charged with second-degree murder and malicious harassment, a hate crime in Washington state.

At that point, the detectives arrested Bogdanov, and he was charged with second-degree murder and malicious harassment, a hate crime in Washington state.

The high profile case was also Kristen Arnott's first trial as a new prosecutor.

The high profile case was also Kristen Arnott's first trial as a new prosecutor.

But there were still ways to build a convincing case against him and undermine his claims that he had nothing to do with Nikki's murder.

But there were still ways to build a convincing case against him and undermine his claims that he had nothing to do with Nikki's murder.

It appeared that Bogdanov had actually fled the country just hours after his meeting with Nikki, which a jury was likely to see for what it was, a consciousness of guilt and attempt to avoid arrest.

It appeared that Bogdanov had actually fled the country just hours after his meeting with Nikki, which a jury was likely to see for what it was, a consciousness of guilt and attempt to avoid arrest.

But as it turns out, convincing a jury that Bogdanov killed Nikki would not be as difficult as they thought. The real challenge would soon become what actually happened.

But as it turns out, convincing a jury that Bogdanov killed Nikki would not be as difficult as they thought. The real challenge would soon become what actually happened.

It may have come as a surprise, but it actually was something that Nikki's mother and victims' advocacy groups had feared. It is what has become known as the gay or trans panic defense, and it is predicated on the idea that an individual is somehow justified in actions taken in response to what is a perceived threat to their lives, namely the revelation that a sexual partner is gay or trans.

It may have come as a surprise, but it actually was something that Nikki's mother and victims' advocacy groups had feared. It is what has become known as the gay or trans panic defense, and it is predicated on the idea that an individual is somehow justified in actions taken in response to what is a perceived threat to their lives, namely the revelation that a sexual partner is gay or trans.