A California man accused of fatally shooting his wife with an AR-15 in front of their teenage son allegedly admitted to the killing, telling responding officers that he believed she had been unfaithful.
Manuel Leal Robles, 37, faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Ana Karen Robles, who was killed in Bakersfield on Nov. 26. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, according to local jail records.
According to an 86-page police report, officers interviewed the couple’s 15-year-old son, who said both parents had been drinking that evening and began arguing as the night progressed. Robles later told police he had consumed two bottles of vodka and blacked out, the report states.
When the teen tried to intervene, he allegedly found his mother curled up in a fetal position on her bed while Robles stood over her, pointing a handgun. Robles is accused of firing several shots at a safe in the bedroom before leaving the room.
The son told investigators that his father then returned carrying an AR-15, said, “This is what happens when you cheat,” and shot Ana multiple times.
After the shooting, Robles allegedly placed the gun’s barrel in his mouth but did not pull the trigger. The teen said he wrestled the weapon away and threw it over a fence. He then followed his father into the kitchen, where he struggled to keep him away from knives, fearing he might harm himself. Robles allegedly fled the home in his truck shortly afterward.
Police later located Robles at a shopping center about two miles from the residence and took him into custody. An officer reported that Robles made several spontaneous statements after being handcuffed, which were recorded on body camera footage.
“I f—ed up, my wife cheated on me and I f—ed up,” Robles allegedly said, according to the report. He also reportedly told officers, “She made a mistake and I killed her for it,” adding that Ana “didn’t deserve that.”
In a subsequent interview, the son told investigators that his parents argued frequently and that his father would punch holes in walls when drinking. Robles had allegedly learned of his wife’s affair the month before the killing and sent his sister to follow her; she later reported seeing Ana with another man.
In addition to the murder charge, Robles is accused of willful cruelty to a child and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, according to jail records. He is being held at the Lerdo Justice Facility, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 11. Information about legal representation was not immediately available.
