A 19-year-old Vancouver man facing two allegations of first-degree attempted murder made an initial appearance in Clark County Superior Court on Thursday, and his bail was set at $1 million.
Zachary Mitchell Budrow was arrested early Wednesday morning when police located him standing in the backyard of the alleged victim’s home, wielding a knife, according to two probable cause affidavits.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Anna Klein asked for and was granted the large bail amount due to Budrow’s alleged admission that he was trying to kill two women, and because he shared thoughts about killing others.
Budrow appeared in court wearing a suicide-prevention vest, saying little else than confirming for Judge Robert Lewis he planned to hire his own attorney.
Police spoke with one of Budrow’s alleged victims at a Vancouver hospital; she’d been stabbed twice in the back. She told police Budrow stabbed her after an argument, and then he left to kill another woman.
Budrow and the first alleged victim went for a drive from Portland and ended up at McKenzie Stadium in Vancouver. That’s where the woman “exited the vehicle and was followed by Zachary who then stabbed her twice before fleeing,” the affidavit says.
When the woman was released from the hospital, she said in a second interview with police that Budrow was making death threats during the drive. He even stopped to buy cigarettes so she could have one last smoke before she died, according to the affidavit.
Budrow drove to the other woman’s home, where he confronted the residents, telling them he’d stabbed someone. He smiled, displayed a knife and threw it on the ground toward three people, according to the affidavit.
Budrow said he would not leave until he was in handcuffs, according to the affidavit. He was arrested at the scene.
Once Budrow was read his Miranda rights, he “admitted to stabbing (the victim) and stated he planned to kill her tonight, (and) after he killed her, he was on his way to kill” the second woman, the affidavit says.
The investigative interview lasted about 90 minutes, and Budrow discussed the incident, his childhood and past romantic relationships. The detective who wrote the second probable cause affidavit described Budrow as forthcoming and honest, articulate and polite.
Budrow shared with the detective that he dealt with thoughts of killing people and death, particularly toward women, according to the affidavit. He said he enjoyed watching true crime documentaries about serial killers, which in part caused him to realize he is a lot like them.
Additionally, Budrow said he was adopted. He said his biological mother has mental health issues and that he worries those traits are hereditary, according to the affidavit. However, he has never been diagnosed with a mental illness.
“When speaking with Zachary, he showed very little emotion but, instead, spoke very matter-of-factly. … He discussed his actions of (the stabbing) the same way he might describe going to a movie with a friend,” the affidavit says. He also said he understood what he did was wrong and there would be consequences, the affidavit said.
An arraignment hearing was set for June 1.
