Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 01/23/04

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Jerome Mautner

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

PLEA ENTERED IN MURDER CASE

Jenz Leboa, charged with murder in the death of Jeffrey Dean Barbieri, pled “no contest” to second degree murder today before Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong. Leboa also admitted having been convicted and sentenced to prison for two prior felonies. The defendant will be sentenced on March 5, 2004 to 17 years-to-life in the California Department of Corrections.

Leboa, Harvey Barry and Gary Gonzales were charged with Barbieri’s death after his body was discovered in his burned residence on February 14, 2003. The autopsy revealed that he was killed prior to the arson. Twelve stab wounds were inflicted on his body. The evidence revealed that Leboa knew the victim prior to the killing. On the night Leboa and the co-defendants were in the victim’s house, a plan to steal items inside the residence resulted in Barry suddenly grabbing Barbieri and repeatedly stabbing him. There was no evidence that anyone other than Barry inflicted the stab wounds. He confessed to being the assailant.

After the stabbing, items of value were removed from the residence and loaded into two vehicles owned by the victim. The residence was set on fire to cover up the crimes and the vehicles were driven from the scene. The defendants were arrested one week later.