A 20-year-old Kent man pleaded not guilty Monday to three counts of first-degree assault for allegedly stabbing three women May 8 in Des Moines.
Jojo D. Ejonga pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He remains in custody at the Regional Justice Center jail with bail set at $1 million.
If convicted as charged, Ejonga faces a minimum of 30 years in prison.
A woman in her 50s, her daughter in her 20s and a family friend also in her 20s were attacked at about 11 p.m. May 8, according to a Des Moines Police media release.
Paramedics transported all three women to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries.
Ejonga knew the women. He asked them to pick him up at his mother’s house in Kent and drive him to the Silverwood Park Apartments in the 23000 block of 30th Avenue South in Des Moines where he told them they would receive payment for a debt he owed them, according to court documents.
Des Moines Police located Ejonga at about 2:30 a.m. May 9 on South 240th Street near Pacific Highway South. He was taken into custody without incident.
Ejonga declined to talk to detectives or officers about the incident. Officers noticed that the man had a cut on his right hand and minor cuts to his face. Officers also observed blood on his shoes and socks, according to court documents.
Officers found a cell phone and checkbook that belonged to one of the women in Ejonga’s possession.
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