In a quiet Chesapeake, Virginia neighborhood, the lives of two individuals were tragically cut short in a case that would unravel a grim story of betrayal and violence. Anthony Barone, a 59-year-old male, was found deceased on July 25, 2013, the victim of a double homicide. His body was discovered inside a home in the 1300 block of Monarch Reach. The discovery was made after police were called to the residence to check on the welfare of a woman who had uncharacteristically failed to show up for
work.
Upon entering the home, investigators found a disturbing scene. Barone had been shot to death and his body was concealed under a pile of clothes in an upstairs closet. The second victim, 54-year-old Cindy Jensen-Ellett, was found in the garage, her body wrapped in a tarp and hidden behind cardboard boxes. It was determined that both victims had been deceased for several days. The investigation revealed that the four individuals involved had all been living in the home together.
Present at the house when police arrived were Ryan Martinez, 34, and his girlfriend, Airika Liljegren, 38. The investigation quickly identified them as the primary suspects in the double murder. Martinez was Jensen-Ellett's son, and Barone was her boyfriend. Both Martinez and Liljegren were arrested and faced serious charges. Martinez was charged with the first-degree murder of Anthony Barone, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and concealment of a body. Liljegren was charged with the first-degree murder of Cindy Jensen-Ellett and concealment of a body.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, both Martinez and Liljegren entered Alford pleas. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to secure a conviction. Martinez entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder and two counts of concealing a body. Liljegren entered an Alford plea to first-degree murder and concealing a body. For his role in the death of Anthony Barone, Ryan Martinez was sentenced to a total of 53 years in prison, followed by 12 years of probation. Airika Liljegren received the same 53-year prison sentence for her part in the crime.
