A packed courtroom of individuals wept Friday as a Clark County choose sentenced a 74-year-old Ridgefield man to 10¼ years in jail for the 2023 strangulation demise of his 80-year-old spouse.
The gallery was crowded with relations of the sufferer, Alice Bolen, a number of of whom wore purple shirts emblazoned with “Justice for Alice” on them, in addition to household of Wayne Leonetti, who pleaded responsible Wednesday to second-degree homicide.
His responsible plea got here on the morning his trial was set to start out after Decide David Gregerson struck down his madness protection Tuesday.
In handing down his sentence, Gregerson stated there was no compensation for the lack of Bolen and that her demise resulted in “shattering two exceptional families.”
Every of Bolen’s six kids learn tearful statements to the court docket in regards to the void left of their lives and Bolen’s grandchildren’s lives. They described Bolen as compassionate, loving, vibrant and energetic. They stated her household was “the center of her universe.”
Bolen’s kids additionally spoke of the grief they felt over her struggling such a violent demise by the hands of a person who supposedly cherished her. A number of of them turned to deal with Leonetti immediately to precise their emotions of betrayal.
“She was an impossible loss,” certainly one of her daughters stated.
Leonetti apologized to Bolen’s household and his family. He stated he prayed they may all discover peace and known as Bolen an “exceptional woman.”
Leonetti’s protection attorneys requested the choose to grant him a decrease sentence, citing his psychological sickness diagnoses. They requested for a sentence extra according to sentences granted for these convicted of manslaughter.
“Nobody in their right mind does what Wayne did,” lawyer Shon Bogar stated.
Gregerson stated he agreed Leonetti’s psychological sickness probably performed a job within the killing, however he additionally famous the severity of the violence he inflicted on Bolen.
“It’s hard for this court to imagine a more violent way to end someone’s life,” Gregerson stated.
Three psychologists who testified earlier within the week throughout a listening to about Leonetti’s psychological competency identified him with despair. However they disagreed about a further prognosis of post-traumatic stress dysfunction. All three stated he not suffered from any psychological sicknesses.
Police investigation
Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded at 11:12 a.m. June 28, 2023, to a home within the 19400 block of Northwest 61st Avenue in Ridgefield.
Leonetti, in addition to a member of the family, known as 911 to report he’d killed his spouse, Bolen, in accordance with a possible trigger affidavit.
Bolen was pronounced useless on the scene, regardless of lifesaving efforts. Investigators stated her accidents have been per strangulation, in accordance with court docket data.
Relations informed deputies the couple had been married for 1½ years. They described Leonetti as controlling, particularly when it got here to Bolen spending time together with her grandchildren. They stated Leonetti insisted on being together with her, in accordance with court docket data.
Bolen was identified with breast most cancers two months prior, which relations stated apparently brought on Leonetti to be unable to sleep and have suicidal ideas. Relations additionally stated they took Leonetti to a hospital about two weeks prior for psychological well being assist and confiscated his firearms for safekeeping at his request, the court docket data state.
Leonetti stated his therapist informed him Bolen’s most cancers prognosis triggered his PTSD from when his earlier partner of greater than 40 years died in 2019. He additionally later informed investigators that Bolen informed him she was planning to go away him, in accordance with court docket data.
Investigators stated Leonetti was unable to recall many of the occasions of that morning.
