Police: Woman charged in dagger slaying had victim listed in cell phone under ’sacrifice’
By APThursday, April 8, 2010
Police: Woman listed victim as ’sacrifice’ in cell
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Authorities say an Albuquerque woman had a man’s phone number programmed in her cell phone under the word “sacrifice” before she stabbed him to death, then claimed he had tried to rape her.
A Bernalillo County grand jury indicted 30-year-old Angela Sanford on Wednesday.
She’s accused of killing 52-year-old Joel Leyba last month with a dagger after inviting him to join her in a Wiccan celebration of spring. She says he tried to rape her near a popular hiking trail east of Albuquerque and she stabbed him in self-defense.
A detective reviewing Sanford’s cell phone found the nickname “sacrifice” instead of Leyba’s name.
Members of Wiccan groups in Albuquerque have told media they do not know Sanford.
