Porterville Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Wife

This morning in Department 19 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Leonardo Nacoa, age 34, to life in prison for shooting his wife to death and child abuse.

On November 25, 2019, a jury found Nacoa guilty of second-degree murder with the special allegations of personal use of a firearm and discharge of a firearm causing death, and three counts of felony child abuse likely to cause great bodily harm.

After a day of arguments with his wife on December 15, 2012, Nacoa went out for drinks. When he returned to the couple’s apartment later that evening, the arguments continued before he “racked” a shotgun in his wife’s face and shot her at point blank range in the head. The couple’s 2-year-old daughter was lying on the bed next to her mother when the shooting occurred, while their 1-year-old son was only feet away in his crib. Both children were covered in blood when police arrived. According to reports, the victim’s 7-year-old daughter, who was in another room when the shooting occurred, told police “Daddy killed mommy.” Immediately after the shooting, Nacoa left the children alone in the apartment and fled to Mexico, but surrendered himself to law enforcement a day and a half later.

Nacoa must serve 46 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kirk Davis and was investigated by the Porterville Police Department.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494