In the early morning hours of August 25, 2013, an almond orchard worker in Bakersfield, California, stumbled upon a sight that changed everything for a local family. It was a body. That body belonged to Todd Chance, a 45-year-old father and a well-liked guy who worked as a driver for FedEx. He’d been shot twice in the chest. At first, it looked like a random act of violence or maybe a robbery gone wrong, but the truth was way closer to home. When people ask who killed Todd Chance, the answer isn't a shadowy figure in an alleyway. It was his own wife, Leslie Jenea Chance.
She was a school principal. Imagine that. A woman trusted with the education and safety of children was actually plotting to execute her husband in a cold-blooded, calculated move that felt more like a bad TV movie than real life. Honestly, the details that came out during the investigation were just bizarre.
The Orchard and the Evidence
The crime scene was desolate. Todd was found lying in the dirt of that orchard, far from his normal routine. His black Mustang was missing, which usually points to a carjacking. Police found the car later that day, abandoned in a residential neighborhood about 15 miles away from the body. Inside the car? A handgun. That was the first big mistake Leslie made. You’d think someone in her position would be more careful, but criminals almost always leave a breadcrumb trail.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office didn't take long to start looking at Leslie. Why? Because the security footage told a story she couldn't erase. Cameras near where the Mustang was dumped showed a figure walking away from the vehicle. This person was wearing a disguise—a hat, a heavy jacket, maybe some glasses—but the gait was recognizable. It wasn't a stranger. It was a woman who looked exactly like Leslie Jenea Chance.
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Detectives are trained to look for the "why" behind the "who." In this case, the motive was a toxic mix of infidelity and money. Todd had apparently been in contact with an ex-girlfriend. He was sending flirty messages, maybe even planning to see her. Leslie found out. Instead of a divorce lawyer, she reached for a .38 caliber revolver.
A Disguise That Didn't Work
One of the weirdest parts about the investigation into who killed Todd Chance was the "ninja" outfit. That’s what some people called it. Leslie was spotted on CCTV footage at a local Starbucks right around the time of the murder. She was wearing a specific set of clothes. Later, footage showed a person dressed in similar bulky clothing walking away from the abandoned Mustang.
She tried to play it off. She told police she was home when the murder happened. But digital footprints don't lie. Her phone pings, the timing of her movements, and the sheer impossibility of being in two places at once started to crush her alibi. It’s kinda crazy how people think they can outsmart modern forensics. They found a Google search on her computer about how to use a specific type of gun. That’s pretty much the smoking gun right there.
The trial was a marathon. It took years to get to a verdict because of legal delays and the complexity of the circumstantial evidence. But "circumstantial" doesn't mean "weak." When you pile up a mountain of "coincidences," they eventually turn into a mountain of guilt.
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The Trial and the Conviction
The jury didn't buy her innocence. In January 2020, Leslie Jenea Chance was found guilty of first-degree murder. The courtroom was heavy. Todd’s daughters—some of whom were also Leslie’s daughters—had to grapple with the fact that their mother had taken their father away. It’s the kind of betrayal that breaks a family tree permanently.
During the trial, the prosecution laid it all out. They showed how she drove Todd to that orchard, likely under some ruse, shot him, and then drove his car across town to dump it. She then walked to a different location, likely where she had stashed her own car or arranged a way back. It was a logistical nightmare that she executed with terrifying calmness.
She was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
What’s really haunting is the "why" behind the "how." People often wonder if there was a way to prevent it. Could Todd have known? Friends said the couple had issues, but no one expects their spouse to be a killer. The case remains a staple of true crime discussions because it features a "perfect" citizen—a principal—doing something so inherently imperfect.
Lessons from the Case
When we look back at the tragedy of Todd Chance, there are a few things that stand out for anyone interested in justice and forensic science.
- Digital footprints are permanent. Your search history, your GPS pings, and your text messages are the first things detectives look at. If you’re searching for "how to fire a revolver," you're essentially writing your own confession.
- Security cameras are everywhere. Leslie tried to hide her face, but she couldn't hide her silhouette or the timing of her movements. In a modern city, you are almost always on camera.
- Betrayal has a specific look. The motive wasn't just anger; it was a calculated response to a perceived slight. Understanding the psychology of "crimes of passion" that are actually "crimes of planning" helps law enforcement profile suspects more accurately.
The story of who killed Todd Chance is a reminder that the most dangerous people aren't always the ones we're told to fear. Sometimes, they're the ones sitting across the dinner table from us.
If you're following this case or similar true crime stories, the best way to stay informed is to look at primary court transcripts rather than just sensationalized news clips. The real "meat" of the evidence is always in the boring legal filings where the digital forensics are laid bare. It shows exactly how the Kern County investigators dismantled a principal's lies piece by piece until only the truth was left standing.
What to Do Next
To truly understand the impact of forensic evidence in domestic cases, you should look into the specific role of Cell Site Location Information (CSLI). It was a huge factor here. You can also research the Kern County Superior Court archives for the specific trial motions if you want to see how the defense tried to suppress the Starbucks footage. Knowing how evidence is admitted—or thrown out—is the key to understanding why some killers go free and others, like Leslie Chance, finally face justice.