An Orleans County judge today handed down a sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison to a man who admitted to killing his teenage sister-in-law.
Carlos Cardenas, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this summer in the January 15, 2011 strangulation death of 15-year-old Katherine Sanchez. The plea came shortly before he was due to stand trial on rape and murder charges.
In a signed confession, Cardenas, an illegal Mexican immigrant, admitted to strangling Sanchez after the two had had sex and Sanchez threatened to tell her sister, Cardenas's wife Kimberly Sanchez. The Albion resident then hid Sanchez's body in an apple orchard in the Town of Ridgeway.
Cardenas faced two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of rape when jury selection was to set begin in Albion in June. As part of the plea deal, the rape charges were dropped.
Cardenas faces possible deportation proceedings when his sentence is complete.
