Pair Arraigned For Fatal Stabbing Of Woman Found In Livermore

LIVERMORE, CA — Several family members of 19-year-old Lizette Cuesta of Tracy yelled at a Modesto couple as they were being arraigned today on a murder charge for Cuesta's stabbing death in unincorporated Livermore early Monday morning. Defendants Daniel Gross, 19, and Melissa Leonardo, 25, who reacted calmly to the outbursts by Cuesta's family members, are scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court in Dublin on Thursday morning to finalize their legal representation and set future court dates.

A motorist found Cuesta stabbed near Tesla Road, roughly 2 miles west of the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area, at 2:06 a.m. Monday, Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. She was airlifted to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley but was pronounced dead later that morning.

Investigators believe Cuesta was dumped from a vehicle and left for dead. She crawled on her stomach for about 100 yards before being found, Kelly said. Cuesta made a "very compelling dying declaration" that led
investigators to Gross and Leonardo, who are being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Kelly said.

Gross and Leonardo, who were both dressed in red jail uniforms, were arraigned separately in brief back-to-back appearances in court. One of Cuesta's male relatives yelled at Gross when he appeared and a female relative yelled at Leonardo when she appeared.

Some of the eight bailiffs who crowded the tense courtroom then removed several of Cuesta's relatives from court and Judge Gordon Baranco ordered other bailiffs to move Leonardo to a back room momentarily until
everything calmed down.

Baranco told those who remained in court, "For those of you who want to leave, please do so now. I have to have order in the court."

All of the dozen members of Cuesta's family who came to court declined to talk to the large group of reporters who attended the arraignment. The half dozen family members of Gross and Leonardo who came to court, and sat on the opposite side of the courtroom, also declined to speak to reporters.

A court document filed by a sheriff's detective didn't disclose a motive for Cuesta's stabbing death and only said that investigators identified Cuesta as the victim and that probable cause was established that
Gross and Leonardo were suspects.

The charging document filed by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office alleges that Gross was the person who fatally stabbed Cuesta. Alameda County Assistant Public Defender is representing Gross.
Baranco said Leonardo also is eligible to be represented by the Public Defender for financial reasons but that office has declared that it would have a conflict of interest if it represented her so the court will
appoint an attorney to represent her.

See Also:

• Woman Killed In Tesla Road Stabbing Remembered As 'Bubbly'
  
• Tesla Road Stabbing Victim Crawled On Stomach For Help: ACSO

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Alameda County Sheriff's Office