Tonight, the family of 2023 murder victim Leslie Verde is speaking up, saying that the justice system has failed them by allowing Juan Carlos Novelo to be acquitted.
You saw him on the news last night walking out of court after his acquittal.
Now, the family says they don't agree with the verdict and feel cheated of the opportunity to hear it being delivered. Jaleeza Roberts has this story:
This is what Juan Carlos Novelo said outside of court yesterday after he was acquitted:
File Date: July 20, 2026
Juan Carlos Novelo
"It feels good, you know, because I never killed my common-law wife. I just want say to the family, deep down my heart, I never what they think I do. So I'm happy with this verdict and I feel good."
But today, the family of Leslie Verde is demanding answers after the man charged with her 2023 murder was acquitted, saying they feel the justice system has failed them.
Speaking to 7News, Verde's cousin, Myra Verde, said relatives were left shocked and hurt after arriving at court for what they believed was a 3:00 p.m. verdict, only to learn the decision had already been delivered at 2:30 p.m.
She described the experience as "very disrespectful," saying the family had attended every hearing throughout the trial and expected to be present for its conclusion, and now their only question is why?
Myra Verde, Cousin of Leslie Verde
"Yesterday when I heard that verdict, I felt like I failed her, I failed her children, so now all we are asking for is the reason why. Why did the judge decide that he's not guilty? And we want these answers. We feel like we're back at square one when this happened in November four, twenty twenty three, we're back at square one not knowing who did it. Why was it done?"
"To me, our justice system failed us, you know, our justice system failed us. I no longer have faith in our justice system. This was a mother of 3 kids that were left abandoned, that were left without justice, so our system failed us, that's all I can say at this point."
Verde, a mother of three, was murdered on November 4, 2023; she had been strangled to death.
While acknowledging that the court has said written reasons will be issued at a later date, the family says they intend to seek legal advice once those reasons are released:
Reporter
"Do you believe that he's the one that killed your cousin?"
Myra Verde, Cousin of Leslie Verde
"I do believe, I do believe after, like I said, going there to sit at every hearing, listening to every statement, all the witnesses that went there. You know, I didn't study any thing you with law and whatever. But, you know, I you're the basic knowledge that you have, you know, that it leads up to him."
"So last night when you heard that he gave a spoken apology when he was acquitted and he walked away from the court. And what was your reaction to that?"
"Well, I don't think he meant that. I don't think that it came from his heart. I, um, it's him and God, like, like I told my family, um, maybe our justice system didn't give us justice. But there is a God above that we trust and that is alive, and that we know that justice will be served. Maybe not earthly, but justice will be served."
Jaleeza Roberts, 7 News.
The trial judge, Candice Nanton, has said she will give the reasons at a later date to be announced.
