Leslie Moreno sentenced for manslaughter
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, March 26th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Leslie Moreno, 30, of Waitsburg learned Monday afternoon that the court has found her guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the December 2018 fatal stabbing of her boyfriend, Marcus Allessio, 25.
Before sentencing was handed down, Moreno spent about two minutes addressing the court, then two supporters addressed the court in defense of Moreno. Nobody identifying themselves as either family or a friend of Marcus Allessio addressed the court. Moreno’s defense attorney then reminded the court that she’s been incarcerated for five years.
Moreno’s sentencing hearing lasted less than an hour and concluded when Walla Walla County Superior Court Judge Scott Wolfram sentenced her to 39 months confinement, which includes a 12-month enhancement. He added that credit will be determined for time served, and that Moreno will be in community custody for 18 months. Moreno was also ordered to pay $4,072.94 in restitution.
At the request of the Allessio family, Wolfram granted them a no contact order.
Prior to entering her plea last week, Moreno was waiting to be retried. Last May, her 2021 conviction was reversed by the Washington State Court of Appeals after she successfully argued her attorney failed to seek self-defense instructions applicable for first-degree manslaughter.
According to court documents, Moreno stabbed Allessio on December 28, 2018, outside a residence they lived together in Waitsburg. A security camera captured the incident which was obtained by the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office and used as evidence. Moreno called 911 and reported she was driving Allessio to the hospital because he had been stabbed. Dispatch convinced Moreno to pull over and wait for help. Allessio had succumbed to a single stab wound to the heart. A kitchen knife was found on the floor of Moreno’s Toyota Highlander.
