An LSD experience gone horribly wrong led to the Saturday night murder attempt on a woman in Potrero Hill, according to local media sources.
An Ivy League-educated Stanford University admissions official was arrested Sunday after allegedly stabbing and attempting to kill a woman Saturday night in a San Francisco home. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that 26-year-old James Shirvell was arrested for attempted homicide over an incident that they’re classifying as domestic violence. NBC Bay Area adds the additional relevant detail, via "sources," that "the two were experimenting with LSD."
Stanford Deputy Director of Admissions is accused of attempted murder. Sources tell @nbcbayarea that 26 year old James Shirvell was tripping on acid when he stabbed the woman who lives with him in the head, neck and back. The Yale grad is in an observation cell at SF county jail. pic.twitter.com/H6SiXcNE3r
— Mark Matthews (@MarkMatthewsNBC) March 6, 2019
San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Robert Rueca said that since it’s a domestic violence case, he is not able to give any details about the victim or her condition. But NBC Bay Area’s Mark Matthews reported in a follow-up tweet Tuesday night that the victim is “the woman he lives with.” Shirvell’s Facebook profile lists him as living in Menlo Park.
Stanford asst dir. of admissions jailed for allegedly stabbing the woman he lives with while stoned on acid.
— Mark Matthews (@MarkMatthewsNBC) March 6, 2019
James Shirvell in jail since Sunday.
Tonight admissions dept. finally responds at 6:59pm“The university has just learned of this arrest and is gathering information
While Shrivell was booked on charges of attempted homicide, domestic violence, and assault with a deadly weapon other than a gun, Palo Alto Weekly reports that “A fourth charge was added on Wednesday morning: assault with force likely to commit great bodily injury.”
Stanford officials were understandably taken aback by the news. “Mr. Shirvell has been placed on leave and will not be coming on campus or performing any admissions work," Stanford spokesperson E.J. Miranda told the Chronicle. "We are continuing to gather information on this matter to inform next steps." His name has been removed from the Stanford admissions website.
Shrivell’s LinkedIn lists him as a 2014 Yale graduate, and says he was hired by Stanford as an Admission Counselor in 2016. Palo Alto Weekly says his bail was set at nearly $1 million.
Related: Arrest Made in Bizarre Torture, Hanging, and Dismemberment Case [SFist]