A man was shot to death and his alleged murderers proceeded to mutilate him in a Phoenix park before sending pictures of the body to his family members, police reportedly say.
As Law&Crime previously reported, three people — Leonardo Santiago and Manuel Carrasco Calderon, both 21, and Jose Rodriguez, 20 — are facing murder charges in the death of Bernardo Pantaleon. Now a fourth man, 21-year-old Christopher Ibarra, has also been arrested on murder charges.
A passer-by called police shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 26 after finding a body at Mountain View Park. Pantaleon, 30, was suffering from “significant bodily trauma,” police said in a press release. Pantaleon’s family members told local CBS affiliate KTVK that he was killed so brutally that detectives recommended his family not see his body. They also feared that he may have been targeted because he was gay.
A criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime in the case reveals gruesome details. Santiago allegedly shot Pantaleon, 30, to death in the park after “an unwanted advance made him uncomfortable.” Santiago then left the park and returned with Calderon where they mutilated Pantaleon’s body via a knife with a brass knuckle handle, documents state.
Bernardo Pantaleon, 30, was found beaten to death on Nov. 26, 2023, in a Phoenix park. Police arrested three men who are facing first-degree murder charges in his death. (GoFundMe)
The records say messages between Santiago, Calderon and Rodriguez show they concocted a plan to rob and kill Pantaleon. Messages in a group chat reportedly revealed that after one of the suspects said he was “going to get the victim tonight” other members of the chat repeatedly asked for updates and wanted to see a photo or video of the body as proof that Pantaleon was dead, the documents reportedly said. The suspects celebrated their alleged depraved act as Pantaleon’s murder garnered media attention.
“Some made derogatory remarks regarding the victim’s sexuality, and a derogatory statement about homosexuals not being allowed in the northside,” the documents said.
On Nov. 30, the suspects allegedly sent Pantaleon’s family two photos via one of Rodriguez’s social media accounts. One showed a person flipping off the camera with Pantaleon’s body in the background while the other showed Pantaleon’s body only, court documents said. The suspects also allegedly shared photos among themselves.
Santiago, Calderon and Rodriguez allegedly admitted to killing Pantaleon. The suspects are all facing gang-related charges because they claimed in their text thread that they were gang members, the documents said.
From left: Leonardo Santiago, Jose Rodriguez and Manuel Carrasco Calderon are facing first-degree murder charges for allegedly beating 30-year-old Bernardo Pantaleon to death in Phoenix. A passer-by found Pantaleon’s body in a north Phoenix park on Nov. 26, 2023. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Pantaleon’s family members were shocked and stunned by his brutal death.
“We don’t understand,” his cousin Gasdeli Pantaleon told local CBS affiliate KPHO. “We are hurt. We’re lost. When you lose someone from a natural cause, you’re like, oh, he had a heart attack, but when you lose someone and some coward took his life, then you’re sitting there like, why? Who? Why did they go after him? Why?”
In a GoFundMe account, the family described Bernardo Pantaleon as “a person who was not just full of love, but the funniest, caring loving person you will come across.” He served as a rock for his sibling after their parents died.
“Unfortunately, we are mourning him as we have lost him in the most tragic way possible. He will be missed and didn’t deserve to suffer the way he did,” the page said.
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