October 7th 2023.
On Thursday, Richard Montano, 48, was found guilty of first-degree murder and arson in connection with the death of Silvia 'Kelly' Vaca Abacay. The jury found Montano guilty of the heinous act of stabbing, beating, and burning Mrs. Abacay.
Mrs. Abacay was a mother of two children living in Bolivia and was staying at a friend's apartment in Virginia at the time of her death. Unfortunately, Montano, her ex-boyfriend of eight years, mistook her for his former partner Fatima Via and set out to kill her.
Via spoke of her guilt, saying that Montano had been physically abusive toward her but that she never thought he would be a murderer. A neighbor's surveillance camera caught Montano entering Via's apartment multiple times unlawfully before the August 10, 2022 murder.
The neighbor also reported hearing loud noises and screaming coming from the apartment before calling the police. During the trial, a prosecutor described the pain and anguish in Abacay's voice as she screamed for her life. The jury ruled that her cause of death was multiple sharp and blunt force injuries before being set on fire.
Montano pleaded not guilty as his defense team tried to raise reasonable doubt, however, the jury found him guilty. His maximum sentence is life in prison and he will be sentenced in January.
Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Descano spoke of the case, saying "This case exhibited some of the most disturbing crime scenes I've encountered. While we can't bring Silvia back, we can ensure that Montano doesn't pose further threats to the public." Abacay's husband, Joselo Landivar, called for a prison sentence for Montano, saying "Jail forever. Jail forever."
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