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A 71-year-old flight attendant for American Airlines died during a layover in Denver on Saturday evening reportedly after being stabbed, the woman’s family told the local news outlet, KPNX-TV Phoenix.
Newsweek has contacted Denver Police Department out of hours via email for comment, as well as the press office of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA).
What To Know
Celinda Levno had been a flight attendant since 1989, according to the statement from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) on Sunday, seen by the local ABC News branch ABC 15.
Per the outlet, the statement also added that she began her career with the airline America West, which merged with American Airlines in 2005, Los Angeles Times reported.
The statement from the APFA said that Levno had died while on a layover in Denver, but did not specify the cause of her death, while a statement from American Airlines shared with Newsweek, said that she was the “victim of a senseless crime.”
David Zalubowski/AP
The American Airlines statement added that it was “doing all we can to assist law enforcement in its investigation.”
The death did not happen at the downtown Denver layover hotel, according to the APFA’s statement, but the association said crews laying over would be temporarily relocated to a hotel near Denver International Airport.
The Denver Police Department wrote on its Facebook account on Sunday that between the hours of 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on January 11, there were three separate stabbings in downtown Denver.
The Facebook post added that the victim in the second stabbing was an adult female, and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The other two victims sustained injuries, which were not life threatening, according to the local news station 9 NEWS.
A family member of Levno spoke with 9 NEWS, and reportedly confirmed that Levno was the victim of the stabbing on Saturday.
There was also another fatal stabbing on Sunday evening, per the outlet, and the suspect was taken into custody, but investigators are still working to determine if the suspect was involved in Saturday’s stabbings.
A close friend of Levno’s, Josephine Dale, told the local news outlet, KPNX-TV Phoenix, that the flight attendant was “truly the most incredible and kind woman out there.”
“Everything she did was for everyone else. A true animal lover, and a phenomenal musician. Overall, just an amazing woman. This is a devastating loss to everyone who knew her,” she said.
What People Are Saying
American Airlines said in a statement shared with Newsweek: “We are heartbroken and mourning the tragic loss of our colleague who was the victim of a senseless crime last night. Our thoughts and support are with her family, loved ones and colleagues, and we are doing all we can to assist law enforcement in its investigation.”
Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) said in a statement on Sunday, according to ABC 15: “Celinda’s love for her horses, friends, and family will always be remembered. We stand in support with Celinda’s family, friends, and our colleagues in Phoenix Inflight as they process this senseless tragedy.
“While this tragic event did not take place at the layover hotel, crews laying over in downtown Denver will be temporarily relocated to a hotel near the Denver airport.”
What’s Next
According to the American Airlines statement, law enforcement is investigating the incident, and per the update shared on the Denver Police Department Facebook page, the police are investigating the three stabbings on Saturday “as a homicide.”