The Life and Love of Todd Chance
Todd Chance, born on March 10, 1968, to Diana and Travis Chance, spent his childhood on a farm in Shafter, a small town near Bakersfield. Alongside his younger brother Scott, Todd was raised amidst livestock, including pigs and horses, which taught him the value of hard work from a young age. With his cowboy hat and boots always on, Todd Chance embodied the spirit of a true cowboy. One of his favorite pastimes was off-road riding with his father, creating many cherished memories.
As Todd Chance entered his teenage years, he discovered a love for race cars. When he came of age, his parents gifted him a blue Mustang Cobra, which became a core part of his identity. Todd, with his rugged charm and sporty car, never lacked female attention. Diana, his mother, often joked that girls would leave notes on his windshield, hoping to catch his eye.
Despite the attention from many admirers, Todd’s heart was captured by Jenea, a young cashier at a local pharmacy. Having endured a brief, unhappy marriage due to her ex-husband’s infidelity, Jenea was now a single mother to her daughter, Jessica. When she first met Todd, she thought he was just another ladies’ man. But as she got to know him, her view shifted. Todd Chance was genuine, caring, and sincere, and soon enough, he fell deeply in love with Jenea. He also embraced Jessica, treating her as his own daughter.
Building a Family and Future Together
In 1996, Todd Chance and Jenea married, expanding their family with two more daughters, Samantha and Sarah. While managing busy work schedules, the couple’s relationship thrived. Jenea worked multiple jobs and had a dream of earning a degree in education. Todd pursued his passion for vehicles and became a truck driver, fully supporting Jenea in her career aspirations. Her dedication paid off when she advanced from a school secretary to the principal of Fairview Elementary School.
Meanwhile, Todd Chance spent over 15 years in the trucking industry. He was immensely proud of his wife’s accomplishments, and their family enjoyed the stability that came with Jenea’s new role. By the summer of 2013, the Chance family was living comfortably, able to afford vacations and provide a good life for their children. A recent trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas had been described by Samantha and Sarah as the best summer of their lives.
Tragedy Strikes
On August 25, 2013, that sense of joy was tragically shattered. At 9:27 AM, workers at an almond grove about 15 miles from Bakersfield discovered a body. Police arrived and identified the victim as 45-year-old Todd Chance. His wallet and identification were still on him, and his phone was found nearby, yet Todd had been shot twice in the chest. Investigators noticed tire tracks leading away from the scene and deduced that a vehicle had been driven off, leading them to suspect a carjacking at first.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities focused on finding Todd’s prized black 2011 Mustang, which had been missing from the crime scene. Reports soon surfaced from residents in a high-crime neighborhood who had seen the car abandoned, prompting police to investigate.
The Mustang and a New Theory
When detectives found the Mustang in the area notorious for gang activity, it raised immediate suspicion. The car was unlocked, with the keys lying on the floor. A revolver was discovered inside, containing two spent casings, believed to be the murder weapon. However, what puzzled investigators was the fact that the gun had been left inside the victim’s own car.
A forensic examination of the vehicle yielded a surprising discovery: fingerprints and DNA belonging to Todd’s wife, Jenea Chance, were found on the driver’s side door and gear shift. While it was logical for her prints to be present, as Todd’s wife may have used the car, the evidence didn’t align with the initial carjacking theory. Why would someone steal a car, kill its owner, and then leave it unlocked with the murder weapon inside?
As detectives dug deeper, they began to realize that this was not a random act of violence. The growing evidence pointed towards a more deliberate and calculated crime.
Todd Chance’s Mustang: A Symbol of Pride and Mystery
Todd Chance had a deep attachment to his black 2011 Mustang, treating it like a fourth child. His pride and joy, he would never have willingly left it in a dangerous part of town. Investigators quickly realized that someone had intentionally abandoned the car in a remote, high-crime area, likely as an attempt to mislead the investigation. The coroner’s report also pointed to a more sinister conclusion—Todd’s death was not a random act, but a calculated execution. He had been shot twice at close range, and either of the gunshot wounds could have been fatal.
Adding to the intrigue, Todd’s sneakers were completely clean when his body was discovered in the dusty almond grove, suggesting that he hadn’t walked there. This raised the possibility that Todd Chance had been killed elsewhere and his body was later transported to the grove.
A Devastating Discovery
Later that day, police arrived at the Chance family home to inform Todd’s wife, Jenea, of his death. She remained calm and fully cooperated with the detectives, offering them phone records, bank statements, and a detailed timeline of events from the morning Todd Chance left their home. According to Jenea, Todd had departed around 7:30 or 8:00 AM, telling her that he was headed to a gun show with his father. Jenea stayed home, working on her laptop, which was confirmed by her daughters, Samantha and Sarah, who had seen her working around 9:30 or 10:00 AM.
When detectives asked Jenea to check Todd’s gun safe, she found that his pistol was missing. While she thought it odd, she speculated that Todd might have taken it with him to trade or sell at the gun show. The presence of a gun in the Mustang made detectives suspect that Todd Chance may have been shot with his own weapon.
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Conflicting Stories
When police interviewed Todd’s father, Travis, a key contradiction emerged. Travis denied any knowledge of a gun show and stated that he hadn’t seen Todd Chance that day, which directly conflicted with what Jenea had told the detectives. This inconsistency cast doubt on the story Jenea had given, leading investigators to wonder whether Jenea was lying, or if Todd had lied to her about his plans for the day.
Further digging into the supposed gun show only deepened the mystery. While there was a gun show that morning, it was located on the opposite side of Bakersfield—far from where Todd’s body was found—further discrediting the idea that Todd Chance was heading there.
A Surprising Discovery
As detectives reviewed Todd’s phone records, they uncovered intimate photos of his ex-fiancée, Carrie Williams, along with flirtatious text messages exchanged between the two. The texts revealed personal details, including conversations about Todd’s wife, which suggested that Todd might have been rekindling a relationship with his former lover. This discovery shifted the focus of the investigation, raising questions about whether Todd Chance had been planning to meet Carrie instead of attending the gun show, and whether Jenea had found out.
Jenea’s calm demeanor and conflicting story now seemed more suspicious. Detectives began to consider the possibility that Jenea had discovered Todd’s affair and, in a fit of jealousy and rage, had killed him. Todd’s history with Carrie predated his marriage to Jenea, and while their relationship had ended on bad terms, they had reconnected in 2012, just a year before Todd’s death.
The Investigation Narrows
Police arranged to interview Carrie Williams to better understand her involvement. Carrie provided a strong alibi, stating that she was at a museum with her daughter during the time of Todd’s murder. Her parking ticket from the museum confirmed her whereabouts, and she explained that while she and Todd Chance had exchanged messages and photos, they hadn’t met in person. With Carrie’s alibi verified, she was ruled out as a suspect.
Detectives still focused on Jenea, but without concrete evidence, they couldn’t make an accusation. However, their persistence soon led to new clues. While Todd’s phone, gun, and car had revealed no foreign fingerprints or DNA, police returned to the neighborhood where the Mustang had been abandoned. Several witnesses reported seeing a woman near the car on the morning of Todd Chance’s death, someone they didn’t recognize. Descriptions indicated that she was middle-aged, wearing a baseball cap and large sunglasses, which concealed much of her face. This woman had exited the black Mustang and calmly walked away.
Surveillance Footage Unveils New Clues
Detectives located several surveillance cameras in the area and began piecing together footage. The cameras captured a figure matching the witness descriptions—a woman carrying a red backpack and a plastic bag. Initial confusion over the suspect’s gender was soon resolved, as the footage and witness statements confirmed the figure was a woman. After leaving the Mustang, the woman entered a fast-food restaurant, where she changed her clothes and shoes in the restroom.
Officers also noticed something in the plastic bag, which appeared to be disinfectant wipes, possibly used to clean the car. After the wardrobe change, the woman was seen discarding something in a nearby waste container. This new evidence, combined with the mysterious woman’s actions, pointed toward a deliberate effort to cover up the crime.
As detectives continued to unravel the case, the focus narrowed further on Todd Chance’s inner circle, and the truth behind his tragic death began to emerge.
The Taxi and Surveillance Footage: A Timeline of Suspicion
After abandoning Todd’s Mustang, the suspect was seen using a payphone to call a taxi. Surveillance cameras tracked the taxi, which dropped off a passenger at the Chance family home around 10 AM. Earlier footage had captured Todd’s Mustang driving toward the almond grove at approximately 8 AM, the location where his body was later found. The same car was seen returning toward the city by 8:30 AM and near the area where it was abandoned at 8:57 AM. The timeline fit perfectly with Todd Chance’s murder.
While the footage strongly suggested that Jenea was involved, the low video quality made it difficult to positively identify her. Nonetheless, the circumstantial evidence began to pile up.
Questioning and Arrest
Four days after Todd’s death, Jenea was asked to come to the police station to retrieve her husband’s Mustang. She arrived with her father-in-law, Travis Chance. Both were questioned separately and shown the surveillance footage. Travis was unable to identify the woman in the video, stating he didn’t know anyone who would have taken Todd’s car. When Jenea was shown the same footage, she claimed not to recognize the individual.
However, when detectives pressed her on the possibility that the woman in the video could be her, Jenea refused to answer any further questions and immediately requested a lawyer. Based on her sudden change in demeanor and the mounting evidence, the police arrested her on suspicion of murdering Todd Chance. Her arrest sent shockwaves through the community, dividing friends and family. Some believed she was guilty, while others thought the police had made a grave mistake. Her daughters, Samantha and Sarah, stood by her, firmly believing in her innocence.
Electronic Devices and a Stalled Case
While Jenea remained in custody, detectives searched the Chance family home, confiscating electronic devices in the hope of finding further evidence. However, the process of analyzing the devices would take time. Despite the mounting suspicion against Jenea, the district attorney’s office didn’t feel the case was strong enough to press charges. The poor quality of the surveillance footage and the lack of solid evidence made it difficult to build a case that could withstand the scrutiny of a courtroom.
After five days, Jenea was released from custody and, to the surprise of many, was even given her late husband’s Mustang back. Despite being freed, she remained the prime suspect in the case, and the picture-perfect family—celebrating 17 years of marriage and a recent vacation—was now fractured by tragedy. Yet, with no solid proof, the case stalled. Investigators, however, refused to let it go cold and continued their efforts to gather more evidence.
Eerie Inspiration and New Evidence
Years later, new details emerged that breathed life back into the investigation. Detectives discovered that during the family’s vacation to Las Vegas, they had visited a crime-themed exhibition based on a popular TV show. At first, this seemed like a harmless outing, but as detectives investigated further, they found striking similarities between the crimes featured at the exhibition and Todd’s murder. One case at the exhibition involved a suspect using a payphone to avoid being tracked, while another highlighted a woman who killed her husband and changed clothes to avoid leaving forensic evidence—exactly what appeared to have happened in Todd’s case.
This discovery, coupled with other evidence, began to close the net around Jenea. Her fingerprints were found on Todd Chance’s car, specifically on the driver’s door and gear shift. Jenea had previously claimed she never drove the Mustang because it had a manual transmission, but this only raised further questions about how her fingerprints ended up there.
The Payphone Incident and Inconsistent Alibis
Another key piece of evidence surfaced: surveillance footage from a supermarket showing Jenea asking an employee where to find a payphone just weeks before Todd’s death. Given that Jenea had two mobile phones, this was an odd and suspicious act, leading investigators to question why she needed to use a payphone at all. Additionally, Jenea’s claim that she had been working on her computer at the time of the murder didn’t hold up. Forensic analysis revealed that there was no activity on the family computer until 11 AM, giving her ample time to carry out the crime.
Family Reactions and Motive
Detectives shared the surveillance footage with Todd Chance and Jenea’s daughters. The eldest daughter, Jessica, initially identified her mother in the footage and recognized a red backpack shown in the video as one from their home. However, she later retracted her statement, realizing the implications it could have for her mother. Sarah and Samantha, the younger daughters, remained steadfast in their belief that their mother was innocent, insisting she had been home that morning.
Despite the daughters’ loyalty, investigators were convinced Jenea had a motive. One possible motive was her discovery of Todd’s rekindled relationship with his ex-fiancée, Carrie Williams. A more concrete motive was Todd’s $500,000 life insurance policy, with Jenea as the beneficiary. As the primary breadwinner, Jenea stood to lose financially if she and Todd Chance divorced, potentially having to pay alimony. This made Todd’s death more financially advantageous for her.
A Fight for Justice
Although Jenea was able to collect a large portion of Todd Chance’s life insurance payout, Todd’s parents, Travis and Diana, fought in court to secure funds for their granddaughters. While the family battled in court, investigators continued to gather evidence, determined to hold Jenea accountable for what they believed was a carefully planned and executed crime.
Over time, the weight of the evidence—both old and new—would begin to unravel the truth behind Todd Chance’s tragic death.
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Arrest and Trial: A Shocking Turn of Events
In 2016, after years of piecing together evidence, 49-year-old Leslie Jenea Chance was arrested and charged with the murder of her husband, Todd Chance. The trial, which commenced in December of that year, presented a disturbing narrative of what allegedly transpired on the morning of Todd’s death. According to the prosecution, Jenea and Todd left their home together, with Todd Chance behind the wheel of his beloved Mustang. At some point during the drive, Jenea reportedly pulled out a gun, catching Todd off guard.
As Todd Chance tried to defend himself, raising his hand in an attempt to shield his chest, the first shot penetrated his palm and struck his body. The second shot was fatal, killing him instantly. Jenea then dragged his lifeless body into the almond grove and fled the scene. In an effort to cover her tracks, she wiped down the car using disinfectant wipes before abandoning it in a rough neighborhood. Her plan, however, unraveled quickly as local residents reported the abandoned Mustang to the authorities almost immediately.
A Defense Weakened by Contradictions
Throughout the trial, Jenea’s defense relied heavily on the alibi provided by her daughters, who claimed she had been home that morning. Yet, Jenea had told detectives that her daughters were asleep while she worked on the family computer. The defense crumbled further when forensic evidence showed no activity on the computer until late morning, discrediting her claim that she had been at home during the time of the murder.
During the trial, Jenea maintained her innocence, insisting that she loved her husband and had no knowledge of his virtual affair with Carrie Williams. She also argued that she had no need for Todd Chance’s life insurance money, attempting to dismiss financial motives.
The Contact Lens Twist
In a surprising twist, Jenea introduced an argument centered around her eyesight. She claimed that she never wore contact lenses and had poor vision, suggesting that the woman in the surveillance footage—who was seen wearing sunglasses—couldn’t have been her because she wouldn’t have been able to see clearly. However, this argument backfired when the prosecution produced evidence that Jenea had ordered contact lenses just a month before Todd Chance’s murder. This revelation further exposed inconsistencies in her story.
Guilty Verdict and Sentencing
On January 31, 2020, the jury delivered a guilty verdict, convicting Jenea of the murder of her husband. The outcome shocked not only Jenea but also her family, especially her daughters, who had stood by her side throughout the trial, unable to believe that their mother was capable of such a heinous crime.
In September 2020, Jenea was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. She received 25 years for Todd Chance’s murder and an additional 25 years for using a firearm in the commission of the crime. Despite her conviction, Jenea has continued to maintain her innocence. She has given interviews from prison, insisting that she was wrongfully convicted and that the true story of what happened has yet to come to light.
Appeal and Aftermath
In January 2023, Jenea appealed the verdict, hoping for a reversal. However, the appeal was denied, and the conviction was upheld. She remains behind bars and will not be eligible for parole until 2041. While her daughters still wrestle with the painful reality of their father’s death and their mother’s imprisonment, the case continues to be a source of intrigue and heartbreak for those who followed it.
