Sentenced: Virginia Man Brutally Killed Mom Of Two He Mistook For His Ex

[Sugar Cookie]

A Virginia man is facing life in prison for brutally murdering a mom of two he mistook for his ex-girlfriend last year.

Richard Montano, 48, was convicted of first-degree murder and arson Thursday in connection with the death of Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay.

She was found fatally beaten, stabbed, and then set on fire on Aug. 10, 2022, FOX 5 DC reported.

At the time of the heinous attack, Abacay, 40, was staying at the Fall Church apartment of her friend Fatima Via Rojas, who had ended an eight-year relationship with Montano a month earlier, the outlet explained.

At Montano’s Fairfax County trial, jurors learned the killer intended to target Via Rojas, and had mistaken Abacay for her when he unleashed his rage, NBC Washington said.

“He quite literally went for the jugular. He went for the face, the head, the neck. He’s going to where it will inflict the most damage,” a prosecutor said of the damage to Abacay’s body, which had at least 10 blunt force injuries and 10 stab wounds.

Police were only alerted to the scene when a neighbor heard screams and called 911. That call was also played in the courtroom.

“Listen to the pain and anguish in Silvia’s voice as she is screaming for her life in that call,” the prosecutor asked the jury.

Montano initially fled out a back window but was arrested later that day. A bent knife was found in the back of his truck, NBC said.

He pleaded not guilty, but his defense attorneys ultimately failed to seed enough reasonable doubt.

Via Rojas said she and Montano’s relationship was volatile, but she never expected him to resort to such extreme violence.

“I feel guilty. Part of me feels guilty because he [came] for me, not for her, and she have to pay for something that’s supposed to happen to me,” she told NBC of her friend’s death.

Virginia man brutally killed mom of two he mistook for his ex

Richard Montano, 48, was convicted of first-degree murder and arson Thursday in connection with the death of Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay.

nypost.com

Silvia Vaca Abacay -Rest in Peace

 

[AliCatClick]

I'd like to know how similar these 2 look for him to have started attacking the "wrong" person.

 

[thuumpr]

A Virginia man is facing life in prison for brutally murdering a mom of two he mistook for his ex-girlfriend last year.

Richard Montano, 48, was convicted of first-degree murder and arson Thursday in connection with the death of Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay.

She was found fatally beaten, stabbed, and then set on fire on Aug. 10, 2022, FOX 5 DC reported.

Quit blowin' smoke! There was no mistake!

Fatally beaten, stabbed, and then set on fire? Too stupid to figure that out when beating her?

 

[Doctor Slaughter]

This guy would love to talk with this douche
[automerge]1696794474[/automerge]

 

[Sejanus]

Hurl javelins at him until he stops moving or making noise.

No way it was mistaken identity.
He just didn't care.
She was beautiful.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A Virginia man learned his fate this week for beating, stabbing and setting fire to a mother of two he mistakenly thought was his ex-girlfriend in whose apartment she had been temporarily staying.

Richard Montano, 48, received two consecutive life sentences for the 2022 killing of Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay, 40. He was convicted in October of first-degree murder and arson of an occupied dwelling.

The Washington Post reported that Montano addressed the court through an interpreter, saying, “To all those who point their finger to me, I want to say to them that my conscience is clear.”

His attorney, Mandy Petrocelli, vowed to appeal the sentence. She said he was not “irremediable” or “entirely evil.” The Post reported she had asked for a sentence within the guidelines to “put his worst days in context” with other parts of his life, saying, “He is not callous, and he is not heartless. He sees it. He feels the pain every time his mother calls in tears.”

Chief Judge Penney Azcarate shared aggravating factors for the sentence: that he did not take responsibility for his actions, the extent of the premeditation of the killing, and that setting the victim’s body on fire is not reflected in the sentencing guidelines for arson of an occupied dwelling.

“Worst moments are weighed by the severity of those moments,” she said, the paper reported. “In your worst moments, you killed a daughter, a mother and a friend.”

Man gets 2 life terms in prison in mistaken murder of mother of 2

A Virginia man learned his fate this week for beating, stabbing and setting fire to a mother of two he mistakenly thought was his ex-girlfriend in whose apartment she had been temporarily staying.

lawandcrime.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Man gets 2 life terms in prison in mistaken murder of mother of 2

A Virginia man learned his fate this week for beating, stabbing and setting fire to a mother of two he mistakenly thought was his ex-girlfriend in whose apartment she had been temporarily staying.

lawandcrime.com

He should have been given the death penalty.

You cannot tell me that at no point he did not realized he was beating the wrong woman to death.

 

[Josh P]

He should have been given the death penalty.

You cannot tell me that at no point he did not realized he was beating the wrong woman to death.

He probably knew right away but decided to keep going cause dead people don't talk.