On February 5, 2023, 31-year-old Kendra Jo Vela was found deceased in a room at the WoodSpring Suites hotel located in the 4600 block of East Interstate 40 in Amarillo, Texas. Responding officers discovered Vela with apparent gunshot wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Amarillo Police Department swiftly identified 29-year-old Trey Phillip Greenleaf as a suspect in the case.
Later that evening, at approximately 7:40 p.m., Greenleaf was apprehended at another hotel in the 1700 block of I-40 East by the Amarillo Police Department's Critical Incident Response Team. He was subsequently booked into the Potter County Detention Center on charges of murder.
Further investigation revealed that Vela was pregnant at the time of her death, leading to Greenleaf being charged with capital murder of multiple persons. In March 2023, a Potter County Grand Jury indicted Greenleaf on these charges.
During the trial, Greenleaf claimed that he acted in self-defense; however, forensic evidence contradicted his account. On September 24, 2024, after less than 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Greenleaf guilty of capital murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kendra Jo Vela is remembered by her family and friends for her vibrant spirit and the joy she brought into their lives. A memorial service was held in her honor on February 11, 2023, in Perryton, Texas.
