A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the manslaughter of his wife during an incident at their home.
Wellington Leonardo, 47, received the sentence on Wednesday after a jury convicted him of manslaughter by passion or provocation in the death of his wife, 39-year-old Rosanna Rodriguez. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of weapons offenses and felony child endangerment.
The stabbing occurred in the early morning of Sept. 21, 2024, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Rodriguez had told Leonardo she wanted to end their marriage. Their 13-year-old daughter was woken by screams and saw her father stabbing her mother in the kitchen.
The girl called 911 and told the dispatcher that her father was trying to stab her mother. She threw a bag at Leonardo to stop him before gathering her younger sisters. Police found both parents covered in blood on the kitchen floor.
Rodriguez was pronounced dead at a hospital. Leonardo was taken to a different hospital for treatment.