Police Identify Suspects Named From Woman's Deathbed
MODESTO (CBS13) — The identity of the teen from Tracy who was stabbed multiple times and then dumped along a road in rural Livermore has been released, and the two suspects accused of killing her are now in jail.
Authorities with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office say Lizette Andrea Cuesta, 19 of Tracy, fought to survive, even telling investigators who her attackers were before she died.
From the top of his tree house, little Jayden Silva was able to see all the commotion taking place right next door.
"A lot of people were surrounding this house a lot, and there was a lot of cops surrounding that house and they were making a little circle, and we were over there hiding," he said.
The unit behind this home is where detectives arrested Daniel Gross, 19, and Melissa Leonardo, 25, both from Modesto. They are accused of stabbing Cuesta.
"They said get out with your hands up, and we know that you are them," said neighbor, Bertha Andrade.
According to Alameda County officials, Gross and Leonardo, stabbed Cuesta multiple times before dumping her from a vehicle on Telsa Road in rural Livermore. Investigators say it appears the suspects left her for dead.
"Well, I don't know who they were, I don't know them by names. I would always see different people coming and out from that home so I know probably suspicious was going on out there," said neighbor, Antonio Moya.
Investigators say Cuesta crawled about 100 yards along the roadway until a motorist found her and called 911. Cuesta who was bleeding from multiple stab wounds was able to tell investigators who stabbed her before she died.
"It's just crazy to know, the fact that she seen them and was able to describe them and it leads all the way out here, it's just crazy to think that, I've been concerned, this neighborhood has always been, there's always something going on here," he said
Neighbors say Gross and Leonardo lived here in this south Modesto neighborhood for at least three years. They are now at the Santa Rita Jail.
Both will be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Alameda County.
