A Santa Barbara man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 2019 slaying of his fiancée, who was the mother of their three children.
Superior Court Judge Brian Hill handed down the sentence Friday for Omar Alberto Leon, 30, in the killing of Lilia Munoz.
On June 4, 2019, Santa Barbara Police officers were dispatched to an apartment on South Soledad Street on Santa Barbara’s Eastside after Munoz’s parents discovered her body when they arrived at the residence searching for their daughter.
Prosecutors say that the day before, Leon strangled and suffocated Munoz, 29.
“To conceal his crime, Leon dragged Lilia’s body to the bathroom, where he placed her inside the closet,” according to a statement from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. “Leon then lied to Lilia’s parents regarding her whereabouts, stating she had left the residence to go out with friends and never returned.”
Officers reported finding a “chaotic scene” at the complex, and Leon surrendered and was arrested.
On Jan. 25 of this year, Leon pleaded guilty to premeditated murder.
At Leon’s sentencing, several members of Munoz’s family made victim-impact statements, expressing their love for her and describing the extreme loss each of them feels in her absence.
“Lilia’s children also provided letters to the court, as well as drawings they created for their mother,” the DA’s Office said. “The love for Lilia was palpable. Lilia will never be forgotten.”
District Attorney Joyce Dudley praised the work of police and her staff in bringing Leon to justice.
“This outcome would not have been possible without the extraordinary investigation work by the Santa Barbara Police Department and District Attorney Investigators Dan McGrew and Jeff Ellis, along with the careful and zealous prosecution team lead by DDAs Megan Chanda and Hannah Meyer and victim advocate Lourdes Negrete,” Dudley said. “
“They all focused on justice and services to help the victim’s devastated family left behind.”
The DA’s Office noted that help is available for anyone suffering domestic abuse.
The Domestic Violence Solutions Crisis Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 805.964.5245.
The Victim-Witness Assistance Program of the District Attorney’s Office is also available by calling 805.568.2400.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.