Man Tortures and Kills Woman in Bathtub on 40th Birthday After Petty Dispute
( Image: Delaware State Police)
Leonard “Buddy” Church, a 43-year-old Maryland man, has been sentenced to 65 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Jennifer Leyanna, following a shocking revelation that he tortured and killed her after accusing her of stealing his wallet.
Kent County Superior Court Judge Reneta L. Green-Streett delivered the sentence in an emotional courtroom, where Church had pleaded guilty to the crime. Church admitted that he was high on PCP when he restrained Leyanna in a bathtub, using tape to bind her and forcing foreign objects down her throat. He then used a belt to strangle her to death, according to court documents.
Another woman, 41-year-old Esther Wright, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for her role in the crime. Wright confessed to helping the Church restrain Leyanna and later assisting in disposing of her body. She pleaded guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy charges, according to the Delaware News Journal.
After committing the horrific crime, Church and Wright transported Leyanna’s remains to Church’s home in Henderson, where they buried her. For over a year, police were unable to locate her body. The breakthrough came when Wright revealed the location of Leyanna’s remains to someone who then alerted law enforcement, leading to the grim discovery.
Leyanna’s disappearance left her family in anguish, as they spent more than a year searching for answers. Desperate for any information, they even set up a Facebook page in hopes of locating her, per reports from Law&Crime.
At the sentencing, Leyanna’s family delivered powerful victim impact statements. Her mother expressed the deep pain and trauma caused by the brutal murder, stating, “This has been one of the most traumatic experiences a person can endure,” and adding, “When death occurs at the hands of another human being, especially in the manner which you took my daughter’s life, there never really is closure, just more questions.”
Leyanna’s daughter, Natalie Dehorty, shared her heartbreak, saying, “My mother was nowhere near perfect, but she was mine,” and lamented, “She would do anything for me. She was my best friend. You took that from me.”
Church’s lawyer attributed his violent actions to drug use and noted that Church has since apologized to Leyanna’s family. However, the apology provided little solace to those who lost a loved one in such a horrific manner.
