A 24-year-old woman named Jessica Quintanilla has been sentenced to 25 years to life for shooting and killing 19-year-old Leilani Marie Beauchamp.
Jessica’s brother, 30-year-old Marco Quintanilla, was also sentenced to four years for helping her cover up the crime. Both were found guilty in November... Continue reading here ▶
Investigators say Beauchamp was shot while she was in bed at the home of Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, an Air Force airman.
After the shooting, Jessica allegedly told her brother, “We killed someone,” but Marco claimed he thought she was joking.
The case began on October 30, 2021, when Beauchamp was reported missing after going to a Halloween party in Sacramento with two active-duty Air Force airmen from Fairfield. Police found a murder scene at the airmen’s house and arrested the Quintanilla siblings, along with one of the airmen who later led authorities to where Beauchamp’s body was dumped in Salinas, about 130 miles from where she was killed.
At first, officials suggested that jealousy could be a motive, describing the situation as a possible “love triangle.” One of the airmen who cooperated with the police received immunity in exchange for his testimony. He claimed Jessica threatened to kill him if he told anyone about the incident.
Jessica testified that she had been upset with her ex and was hungover at the time of the shooting, insisting it was an accident. She claimed that her ex’s gun “went off” after he confronted her.
However, her lawyer described it as “a heat of passion” incident because Jessica allegedly caught her ex and Beauchamp in bed together.
Beauchamp’s family released a statement expressing their grief, saying, “Leilani was truly a blessing to us and her beloved friends… We will miss her smile, her laugh, her caring demeanor, her strong will, her passion for life, and the love she brought to our family. We love you, Leilani.”
