An Arlington man faces up to life in prison after he admitted to stabbing his daughter and his wife in a psychosis-related episode in Pentagon City.
Leonardo Antonio Reyes, now 24, has pleaded guilty in Arlington County Circuit Court to one count each of second-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding, both stemming from a Dec. 14, 2024 incident.
A statement of facts says that Reyes had stopped taking an anti-psychotic medication and had used PCP three days prior to attacking his wife, who later died from multiple stab wounds, and 1-year-old daughter, who survived despite serious injuries.
Surveillance footage captured Reyes with his wife, 26-year-old Iman Gaye — who was holding the couple’s 1-year-old child and accompanied by their 3-year-old child — around 9:40 p.m. near Army Navy Drive and S. Joyce Street.
Reyes is described as hugging “a random stranger” and chasing the person down a sidewalk immediately before the attack. After Gaye pursued him, prosecutors say that Reyes turned on her, stabbing her approximately 11 times while she was holding the baby.
“Reyes lays next to the victims following the stabbing before fleeing the scene on foot,” the statement of facts says. “A witness is observed arriving on scene and kicking the knife away from Reyes prior to him fleeing.”
Police located Reyes, who “had blood on his person,” underneath a vehicle parked inside the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City parking garage a short time later, according to the statement of facts. He initially told police that he witnessed Gaye be stabbed by somebody who “looked like me,” and that he ran from the scene “because he was scared.”
A psychological evaluation later determined that Reyes, who had stopped taking medication for his bipolar disorder before the stabbing, had ingested the psychoactive drug PCP in the days prior to the incident.
“The report concludes that Reyes was experiencing psychosis at the time of the offense, a clinical condition characterized by bizarre and disorganized behavior, and severe symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions,” according to the statement of facts.
Court documents also noted that PCP “may have strong effects for days after use,” but that a single catalyst for the attack was unable to be identified.
“The psychologist was not able to determine the relative degree to which PCP, bipolar disorder or sleep deprivation contributed to the psychosis,” the statement of facts reads.
Both Gaye and the child were transported to hospitals in D.C. for treatment. The child suffered from “multiple penetrating wounds to the abdomen” and was hospitalized for nine days before being released to the custody of Arlington Child Protective Services on Dec. 23, 2024.
Gaye, who suffered “sharp force injuries to the chest, abdomen and left arm,” was pronounced dead on Dec. 30.
No charges were dropped during the prosecution of the case, and Reyes did not receive any sort of formal leniency as part of the plea deal.
Reyes remains in the custody of the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7, according to online court records.
