Three Men Charged in Brutal Murder of Gay Phoenix Man

Suspects Allegedly Sent Photos of Mutilated Body to Victim's Family, Sparking Hate Crime Concerns

Three men, Leonardo Santiago, Manuel Carrasco Calderon, and Jose Rodriguez, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Bernardo Pantaleon, who was found dead and mutilated in a Phoenix park.
The suspects allegedly sent photos of Pantaleon's mutilated body to his family via social media.
Police claim that the three men confessed to the killing and that messages between them detailed plans to rob and kill Pantaleon.
Pantaleon's family and friends believe he was targeted because of his sexual orientation, as he was openly gay.
Pantaleon's death shares similarities with the unsolved murder of another gay man from Phoenix, Benjamin Anderson, who was murdered and tortured in January 2022.