A woman in California has been sentenced to prison for murdering another woman she found in bed with her ex-boyfriend.
Jessica Quintanilla, 24, will spend 25 years to life in prison for killing 19-year-old Leilani Marie Beauchamp... Continue reading here ▶
Jessica’s brother, Marco Quintanilla, 30, was also sentenced to four years for helping her after the crime. They were both found guilty last November.
The murder happened at the home of Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, who was in the Air Force. The victim, Leilani, was in bed there when Jessica shot her.
Jessica reportedly told her brother, “We killed someone,” but he didn’t believe her at the time.
Leilani was reported missing in October 2021 after leaving a Halloween party. She had left with two Air Force men who lived in Fairfield.
Police found the murder scene at their house and arrested Jessica, her brother, and one of the Air Force men. This man then showed police where they had dumped Leilani’s body, over 130 miles away.
At the time, the police thought it might have been a love triangle situation.
The Air Force man who showed police where the body was found was not charged with a crime because he agreed to testify in court. He said that Jessica had threatened to kill him if he told anyone what happened.
In court, Jessica said she was upset with her ex and had a hangover. She claimed the shooting was an accident and that the gun “went off” during an argument with her ex.
Jessica’s lawyer argued that the shooting was a crime of passion, meaning it happened in the heat of the moment.
Leilani’s family is devastated by her loss. They described her as a blessing and said they will miss her smile, her laugh, and her love for life.
