Former Mayoral Candidate Accused of Murdering Wife, Staging Her Death to Look Like a Suicide

A former California mayoral candidate has been arrested in connection with the death of his wife — a case authorities now allege was staged to appear as a suicide.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said Michael Anthony Leon, 66, has been taken into custody and charged with the 2015 murder of his wife, Brenda Joyce Leon, who was 52 when she died.

For years after Brenda’s death, her family publicly pushed for the case to be revisited, according to the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.

Prosecutors said a long-running investigation uncovered new digital evidence and additional facts that played a central role in the decision to file charges. Leon was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 22, at his home in Antioch, California — the same city where he previously ran for mayor in 2012, finishing behind three other candidates.

“Brenda Joyce’s family never lost faith that the truth would come to light,” District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement.

Family Raised Doubts After Suicide Ruling

When police first responded in 2015, investigators reported finding a suicide note and concluded Brenda died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. But Brenda’s daughters — Michelle Wonders and Monica Tagas — said they never accepted that conclusion, maintaining that their mother had been killed, according to the Chronicle.

In August 2021, the daughters filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging that a “John Doe” intentionally shot their mother and then forged a suicide note and manipulated evidence to make it look like she took her own life, the outlet reported.

Court records cited by the Chronicle show that prosecutors began reopening the cold case soon after. By 2024, investigators had obtained a search warrant that helped lead them to new digital evidence.

New Lawsuit Names Husband as Defendant

The family’s attorney, Matthew Guichard, told the Chronicle on Sunday, Jan. 25, that the daughters filed a new wrongful death lawsuit on Friday, Jan. 23, this time naming their father as the defendant.

“The family is ecstatic,” Guichard told the outlet. “The family first reached out to me in 2017. … It’s been a long, hard road.”

Remembering Brenda Joyce Leon

Brenda, originally from Concord, California, worked for her father’s transportation company before marrying and having children, according to her 2015 obituary.

She was remembered as a devoted grandmother and as someone known for loyalty, selflessness, and unconditional love.

“Family and friends would describe her as a loving and proud mother who found true happiness in watching her family grow,” the obituary stated, adding that she appreciated simple joys and encouraged others to see the good in people.

Charges and Court Proceedings

The district attorney’s office said Leon has been charged with murder and personal use of a firearm causing death. If convicted, he could face 50 years to life in prison.

Becton said the filing reflects the persistence of Brenda’s loved ones and underscores that cold cases remain active no matter how much time passes.

Leon is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, Jan. 26, in Martinez, California.