QUEENS, NEW YORK – An undocumented Colombian immigrant was sentenced on Friday to 22 and a half years in prison for strangling his landlord in Queens following a rent dispute, according to prosecutors.
Davi Vidal, 20, was still a minor in December 2023 when he murdered Zoraida Leo, 55, in her East Elmhurst home. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant handed down the 22-and-a-half-year sentence, with five years of post-release supervision, after Vidal pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter last month.
Victim Strangled with Bare Hands and Iron Cord
According to court documents, Vidal used his bare hands and an iron cord to strangle the victim during an argument over unpaid rent at the East Elmhurst, Queens home.
"The defendant brutally attacked Zoraida Leo after a rent dispute and then left her lying on the floor," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in an official statement. "No family should have to suffer such a devastating loss."
Son Discovers Mother Deceased at Home
The victim's son discovered his mother deceased at the entrance to the bathroom on December 4, 2023, after she failed to show up for work and didn't answer her phone.
When police arrived at the scene, Vidal — who was renting the attic room in the house — was still inside, crying and with multiple scratches on his face, according to prosecutors.
ICE Issues Detainer, Victim's Family Questions Immigration
After his arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer for Vidal.
The victim's sister previously called Vidal a "murderer" and questioned why he was in the U.S. after illegally crossing the border.
The sentence concludes the shocking case in Queens, where a rent dispute escalated into a deadly crime.
