Child porn suspect accused of trying to kill estranged wife

A Fort Carson soldier facing trial on child pornography charges was arrested last week on new allegations: trying to kill the woman who turned him in.

Michael Lee Eichsteadt, 28, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of attempted murder after his estranged wife Zinah Fadhil told police that he broke into her Colorado Springs apartment and choked her until she lost consciousness.

The 5-foot-4, 110-pound woman said that when she woke up, the muscular soldier sat beside her with a knife against his throat, weeping. She said he grabbed her hands, placed them on the knife and pleaded, “Kill me.”

Eichsteadt was out on bond in a child pornography case that was opened after Fadhil tipped authorities to suspicious images on his home computer.

He was barred by a restraining order from visiting Fadhil. He was jailed again Thursday on a $1 million bond.

Fadhil, 25, said Eichsteadt turned violent while confronting her about a financial matter. A doctor told police that she could have died, police said.

Eichsteadt allegedly fled the apartment afterward and was arrested at Fort Carson later Thursday evening. He acknowledged under questioning, “What I did was wrong,” before declining to answer any other questions.

Police said the soldier first denied the attack and claimed he was with a fellow soldier at the time.  When confronted, the other man told police that Eichsteadt asked him to provide cover for an alibi, court records said

Eichsteadt’s arrest on suspicion of child pornography came April 13 after police found hundreds of videos and pictures of “sexually exploitative content” while searching his home computer, authorities said.

A trial set for Oct. 20 was postponed, but a new date has not been set.

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