A recent federal jury verdict has found 21-year-old Leion Butler, also known as Leniyah Butler, guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a man in the Presidio, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California. The decision came after a contentious two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, where Butler was charged with the death of a man at Crissy Field East Beach area on November 12, 2023.
The confrontation leading up to the shooting arose after Butler, who worked as a sex worker, was asked by the victim for a refund and then told to exit the car after a sexual encounter. This led to Butler shooting the victim in the eye and subsequently stealing, then abandoning the victim’s vehicle in Hunters Point. A futile attempt to erase fingerprints and DNA evidence was made to scatter physical evidence, including the murder weapon, as detailed by the official statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Further demonstrating the dedication to justice and community safety was FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, who reaffirmed the Bureau's commitment "to seeking justice for victims of violent crime." the investigative processes were noted for their rigor and inter-agency cooperation, which assured "that the defendant was held accountable for this senseless act" Virmani further expressed an unchanged resolve to combat violent crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Butler remains in custody, with sentencing scheduled for June 27 to face a maximum of 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, in addition to possible restitution. The court will determine the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and George Hageman, with the support of staff and a multi-month FBI investigation.
