Andrew James Leon Sentenced to 50 Years to Life for Murder

Published on January 21, 2026

Today, January 21, 2026, Andrew James Leon (21, of Marina, California) was sentenced to a total of 50 years to life in state prison for the 2023 first-degree murder of April Luna Valdez-Diaz (37, of Huron).

Leon received 25 years to life for first-degree murder, plus an additional 25 years to life for the use of a firearm causing death, stemming from the fatal shooting that occurred outside the victim’s residence in Huron.

The sentence was imposed by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Alvin Harrell III following a jury verdict on October 17, 2025, which found Leon guilty of first-degree murder and found true the firearm enhancement. In handing down the sentence, Judge Harrell stated, “This is one of the most egregious set of facts I’ve ever presided over.”

Several victim impact statements were read aloud in open court, including a powerful and emotional statement from Valdez-Diaz’s daughter, which read in part:

“My mother, April Diaz, should not have been taken from us in this way. She deserved dignity, protection, and peace. She deserved to live, and the person responsible for her death must be held fully accountable - not just for the act itself, but for the lifetime of suffering he has caused everyone who loved her.”

The murder occurred on November 26, 2023, just days after Thanksgiving. Leon armed himself with an illegal firearm and traveled from Marina to Huron, where his then-girlfriend lived with her mother, April Valdez-Diaz. Leon attempted to confront his girlfriend, but Valdez-Diaz intervened.

After a brief confrontation, Leon opened fire, striking Valdez-Diaz eleven (11) times. He then fled the scene, leaving her in the roadway, where she later died from her injuries.

Leon claimed he acted in self-defense; however, the jury rejected this claim and convicted him of first-degree murder.

At the time of the murder, Leon was on felony probation stemming from a prior conviction in Monterey County for possessing a controlled substance while armed with a loaded, operable firearm. Because Leon was under the age of 25 at the time of the offense, he will be eligible for a Youthful Offender Parole hearing pursuant to California Penal Code § 3051, which allows qualifying individuals to receive a parole hearing after serving a specified portion of their sentence. Eligibility for a hearing does not guarantee release.

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office thanks the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Huron Police Department for their investigative work and dedication to this case.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kendall T. Reynolds of the Homicide Unit, with assistance from Senior District Attorney Investigator Eric Cervantes of the Bureau of Investigations.

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