FELTON, Del. - Two individuals have been sentenced in connection with a 2020 missing person case that escalated into a brutal murder investigation spanning multiple states, according to the Department of Justice.
On Aug. 28, Leonard Church, 43, of Henderson, Maryland, and Esther Wright, 41, of Clayton, Delaware, were sentenced in Kent County Superior Court for their roles in the killing of 41-year-old Jennifer Leyanna of Felton, Delaware.
Church received a 90-year prison sentence, suspended after 65 years, for Murder Second Degree, while Wright was sentenced to 30 years, suspended after 25 years, for Kidnapping First Degree and Conspiracy First Degree. The sentencing follows an extensive investigation by Delaware State Police and other law enforcement agencies.
In January 2021, authorities identified a crime scene in Hartly, leading to the eventual discovery of Leyanna’s buried remains.
The investigation revealed that on Oct. 9, 2020, Leonard Church beat, bound, suffocated and ultimately killed Leyanna at the Hartly residence based on a minor dispute over property. Wright was present during the brutal murder and assisted with binding Leyanna. Church, along with Wright, then transported Leyanna’s body to the Henderson property, which belonged to one of Church’s family members. Church then buried Leyanna’s remains with Wright present, said the DOJ.
Attorney General Kathy Jennings praised the DOJ team and law enforcement partners for their perseverance in solving the case, calling the defendants' actions, "profoundly disturbing."
