71-Year-Old American Airlines Flight Attendant Murdered In Denver, Crews Quickly Relocated For Safety – View from the Wing

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A 71-year-old American Airlines flight attendant based in Phoenix was murdered this weekend, the result of a string of stabbing attacks in downtown Denver. A suspect was taken into custody for a subsequent Sunday night stabbing. Flight attendants have been relocated away from downtown for their layovers.

  • On Saturday at 5:17 p.m. police respond to a report of a stabbing on the 16th Street Mall. Officers discovered a female victim with serious throat injuries. She was rushed to the hospital but died shortly after. Authorities identified her as Celinda Levno, who had worked as a flight attendant for over thirty years.
  • Within minutes of the first attack, two additional victims were stabbed in the same area. One of them sustained facial injuries and transported himself to the hospital. The other is hospitalized in critical condition.
  • Sunday night around 10 p.m. police reported a stabbing that claimed the life of an adult male. A suspect was apprehended and suspected of all of these attacks, but this has not been confirmed.

Flight attendants are devasted by Celinda Levno’s death. She began with America West in 1989. Flight attendants union Association of Professional Flight Attendants offered,

With great sadness, we inform you of the passing of Phoenix-based Flight Attendant Celinda Levno while on layover in Denver. Celinda began her career with America West in 1989.

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.

APFA Employee Assistance (EAP) is available to help Flight Attendants process this unexpected tragic loss.

On behalf of APFA, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Celinda’s family, friends, and all Phoenix Crewmembers who had the pleasure of flying with her.

According to American Airlines,

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.

All three victims on Saturday were by themselves at the time of the assaults. American Airlines temporarily relocated its flight attendants from a downtown Denver hotel to an alternative accommodation citing crewmember safety risk.

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