Maryland man restraints, tortures, and murders woman in bathtub on 40th birthday over petty accusation

A judge sentenced 43-year-old Leonard "Buddy" Church, of Maryland, to 65 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Jennifer Leyanna after revealing that he restrained, tortured, and choked his victim to death - accusing her of stealing his wallet.

In a heartrending courtroom scene, Kent County Superior Court Judge Reneta L. Green-Streett handed down the 65-year sentence following Church's guilty plea. Church admitted to getting high on PCP, restraining Leyanna in the bathtub using tape, and forcing foreign objects down her throat. He then allegedly used a belt to strangle her to death, as per the documents.

Another woman, Esther Wright, 41, was handed a 25-year prison term for helping Church restrain Leyanna. She admitted to helping Church dispose of the body, pleading guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy charges.

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The pair committed the atrocious crime and then transported Leyanna's remains to Church's home in Henderson for burial. Police could not locate her remains for over a year. Eventually, Wright, who revealed the whereabouts of Leyanna's body to someone who alerted law enforcement, leading to the grim discovery.

leaving her loved ones in anguish and without answers for more than a year. In their search for peace, they even set up a Facebook page in hopes of locating her.

Leyanna, who struggled with drug addiction, was close with her family, who noticed her disappearance and launched numerous efforts to try and find her body.

As reported by the News Journal, at Wednesday's sentencing, Leyanna's relatives gave moving victim impact statements.

Her mother conveyed the immense suffering caused by such a brutal death, stating, "This has been one of the most traumatic experiences a person can endure," and lamented, "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."

Her daughter, Natalie Dehorty, grieved her mother's passing, saying, "My mother was nowhere near perfect, but she was mine," and expressed her sorrow with, "She would do anything for me. She was my best friend. You took that from me."

Church's lawyer blamed his client's violent act on the drug usage and said Church has since apologized to the victim's family.