A 25-year-old former Target employee, Bazen Berhe, was handed a 100-year prison sentence on January 30, 2024, for the calculated murder of his 58-year-old co-worker, Hernan Leiva. The sentencing, which took place in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, included a 30-year suspension. The case has gripped the public due to the severe outcome of what started as a simple office disagreement.
The conflict between Berhe and Leiva originated from an incident in April 2021 when Berhe suspected Leiva of stealing his lunch from the office refrigerator.
Over a period of several days, Berhe meticulously plotted his revenge. He acquired a hammer and two knives from the Target store where both he and Leiva were employed. As per the police reports, Berhe underwent a day of “murder training” before putting his plan into action.
On April 17, Berhe stationed himself in the Target employee parking lot, awaiting Leiva’s arrival at work. As Leiva arrived, Berhe attacked him, utilizing the purchased weapons to stab and bludgeon him to death. Berhe fled the scene but later returned to turn himself in to the authorities, confessing to the crime immediately.
During his sentencing in October 2023, Berhe made a chilling statement, threatening to harm or kill others unless he was given the most severe penalty possible.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney, Steve Descano, cited this threat as a crucial factor in the sentencing determination. Descano underscored the necessity of the sentence in preserving public safety, given Berhe’s ongoing perceived risk to the community.
Leiva, originally from El Salvador and living in Falls Church, Virginia, with his partner, Esperanza, and their two sons, was commemorated by his family as an exceptionally hard worker and a beloved individual with a notable sense of humor.
In a GoFundMe campaign launched in his honor, Leiva’s son, Jesse, described his father as an “exemplary figure and beacon of light.”
Based on Berhe’s confession and the evidence produced at the trial, it was established that the attack was premeditated, resulting in a tragic loss of life over an initially minor conflict. Berhe now faces spending most of his life behind bars for a situation that could have been peacefully resolved.
