BOZEMAN — Francisco Padilla-Canales faced a judge on March 18, 2024, in Gallatin County District Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty in January to the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Bozeman in July 2022.
District Court Judge Rienne McElyea sentenced Padilla-Canales to 40 years in the Montana State Prison for the death of Lesman Joan Escobar-Andara.
On July 7, 2022, after tracking his estranged wife with a GPS device planted on her car, Padilla-Canales discovered that she and the 19-year-old man were in a relationship. Padilla-Canales attacked Escobar-Andara at a vacation rental his wife had been cleaning.
Padilla–Canales stabbed the victim multiple times in the chest. He then went on to attempt CPR on the victim according to court documents.
Escobar Andara died from his injuries shortly after law enforcement arrived on the scene.
Present in court were Padilla-Canale’s daughter and other friends. He was given the chance to address the courtroom with the help of a translator.
He expressed remorse over his actions on July 7, 2022:
“I would like to apologize to Lesman’s family,” said Padilla-Canales. He continued:
“The loss of a family member to a father, I understand. I cannot imagine the pain of his family but if it were within my power to make a change and go back and go back in time, I would change all of this. But I can’t. I must accept what happened. I’m regretful and ashamed of all of this.”
Padilla Canales is currently on an immigration detainer, also known as an ICE hold. After he serves his time in Montana, he will likely be deported.
