'At a breaking point': Man strangled girlfriend to death next to sleeping kids on Amtrak train as she tried to escape abusive relationship

For astir 7 years a antheral thought helium got distant with killing his woman connected an Amtrak train arsenic they traveled crossed the country.

But a Colorado assemblage connected Friday ensured that wouldn't beryllium the case.

Angelo Valentino Mantych, 43, was convicted of first-degree execution successful the decease of 28-year-old Marina Placensia aboard a bid from Wisconsin to Denver backmost successful 2016. It took 7 years to complaint Mantych arsenic archetypal autopsy results could not pinpoint a origin and mode of death.

The mates and their 4 children were moving retired of Racine, Wisconsin, successful precocious August 2016, according to documents and a property release from the Denver District Attorney's Office successful Colorado. Placensia was unresponsive erstwhile they arrived astatine Denver Union Station, however. Documents described resuscitation efforts, but she was pronounced dead.

"Your Affiant observed that Mantych appeared to beryllium upset, crying and vomited respective times," the documents stated.

The suspect allegedly asserted helium tried to aftermath her up astir 20 minutes earlier they arrived. He could not due to the fact that she was a "heavy sleeper." When helium tried again 10 minutes earlier arrival, helium again got nary response. Realizing thing was wrong, helium asked for help, helium allegedly said.

No witnesses turned up saying they saw the mates get into immoderate disturbance oregon battle connected the train.

But constabulary and prosecutors aboriginal determined that the unfortunate planned to permission her fellow erstwhile they got to Denver wherever household was awaiting.

"He knows what is waiting astatine that bid presumption is simply a postulation of household members who are going to marque definite helium doesn't spell location with Marina and the boys," Assistant District Attorney Lara Mullin told jurors, per the Denver Post. "Because things were astatine a breaking constituent and radical knew it."

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Prosecutors said Mantych choked his woman to decease arsenic she sat connected her spot successful the mediate of the nighttime with the kids sleeping adjacent and nary 1 other noticing.

Jurors deliberating for astir 5 hours earlier rendering the blameworthy verdict. He's slated to beryllium sentenced connected Jan. 9.

As Law&Crime previously reported, investigators discovered galore bruises each implicit Placensia's body. These seemed accordant with an battle oregon struggle, but nary presented arsenic an evident origin of death, they wrote.

Mantych allegedly tried to explicate distant her injuries arsenic thing she received during their move. In 1 mentation of events, helium said a doorway struck her successful the enarthrosis portion they were moving furniture, documents said. In different interview, helium allegedly said she was carrying a container erstwhile a doorway deed her successful the face. He besides claimed that her 2-year-old girl scratched her successful the face.

"Angelo described them being 'super excited' astir moving backmost to Denver and were perpetually talking astir what they were going to bash and getting their crippled program together," the affidavit stated. "Angelo described them arsenic being overly blessed the past mates months. Angelo volunteered that the full clip helium was not adjacent sitting adjacent to her connected the train."

The autopsy noted galore injuries to the body, including a bruise to the close cheek, bruises astir her rima and face, bruises connected her thighs and calves, bruises connected her precocious body, and the close broadside of her abdomen, arsenic good arsenic fractured ribs. There was nary contiguous determination of origin oregon mode of death, however.

It would beryllium years earlier prosecutors charged Mantych, but witnesses elaborate an disfigured narration successful which Mantych allegedly subjected some Placensia and her 4 children to extended abuse.

In a partially redacted information of the document, a neighbour said that Mantych "beat" Placensia the time earlier they left. They fought each the clip and Mantych had besides beaten her 2 months earlier the move, the neighbour said.

Another neighbour told investigators astir being alert of a home unit past and that Mantych was physically and mentally abusive to Placensia, hitting her each day.

During the move, helium allegedly slapped Placensia connected the face, punched her side, grabbed and punched her arms, grabbed her neck, and pulled her hair.

He allegedly called Placensia a "c—," and "a dumb b—," and ordered her to determination the furnishings faster.

"He was throwing furnishings disconnected the balcony and was yelling astatine the children and telling them to determination the furnishings and that they weren't doing it right," documents stated. "[Redacted] said her lad tried to assistance their children determination a mattress, but Angelo yelled astatine her lad not to assistance them."

There were besides much allegations of abusing the kids. In 1 instance, a redacted witnesser described proceeding 1 of the boys accidental "please stop, it hurts," and Mantych allegedly answered, "get up, you small bastard."

"Stop acting similar your f—ing ma and instrumentality it similar a man," the suspect allegedly told the child.

This witnesser described feeling that Mantych had his children, successful her words, "highly trained to not accidental anything."

"[Redacted] said she had taken Marina to Wheaton Francis Hospital, successful Racine respective times to beryllium treated for injuries sustained from Angelo's assaults connected her," documents stated.

In 1 incident, Placensia described Mantych allegedly opening her legs and striking her "down there."

In different incident, 2 years earlier the murder, Mantych allegedly held a babe disconnected the balcony and told Placensia, "Do what I say, oregon the babe goes."

Racine County Social Services told Denver investigators connected Sept. 8, 2016, astir the 2 older sons coming to schoolhouse with soiled apparel and smelling of urine.

Denver investigators aboriginal learned astir a March 13, 2015, battle lawsuit successful which Mantych allegedly became upset astir the contention of a antheral connected a tv amusement and asked Placensia if this idiosyncratic resembled a antheral she had slept with. He allegedly grabbed her and punched her caput respective times, resulting successful her being incapable to perceive successful her near ear.

Placensia would deterioration sweaters and sunglasses successful the summertime to screen the injuries she sustained astatine Mantych's hands, documents stated.

In summation to carnal abuse, a witnesser described proceeding from Placensia astir Mantych allegedly molesting her daughter, whom she had had with different antheral portion Mantych was successful prison.

Placensia had been moving to Denver to get distant from her boyfriend, though helium refused to fto her go, according to allegations.

"If I can't person you, nary 1 will," helium allegedly said erstwhile learning of her program to leave.

A follow-up forensic probe resulted successful a doc connected May 18 of this twelvemonth declaring that Placensia had died from being suffocated — her injuries were accordant with specified cases involving surviving and dormant patients.

Furthermore, this was from an assault, with unit to her look and obstruction to her chemoreceptor and mouth.

"Ms. Placensia exhibits aggregate areas of oral and perioral trauma accordant with asphyxia from suffocation," the doc wrote. "No different aesculapian conditions were recovered astatine autopsy which could person resulted successful Ms. Placensia's death. The mode of decease is homicide."

Alberto Luperon contributed to this report