PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man accused of stabbing his wife and mother-in-law to death last year has pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors.
The investigation began in May when 44-year-old Leandro Barbarena called police saying he had discovered the bloodied bodies of his wife Alma and mother-in-law Angela Trejo in the basement of Trejo’s home along Bingham Street near Comly Street.
Barbarena said Alma, 58, had gone to her 75-year-old mother’s home to help with a telehealth appointment.
But detectives quickly caught on, further questioning Barbarena, who had cuts on his hands. Alma, they say, had defensive wounds on her body, and detectives say they found a bloody glove in Barbarena’s car that matched one found at the scene.
Barbarena admitted to getting in a fight with his wife, and when her mother intervened, he killed them both.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder. The tampering with evidence, obstructing justice and a weapons charge were dropped.
Judge Scott O’Keefe sentenced Barbarena to 35 to 70 years in prison.