Dateline: Unforgettable: Why Did Leslie Chance kill Todd Chance?

On March 23, 2013, Todd Chance, a 45-year-old Bakersfield resident, was found dead near an almond orchard 15 miles away from his home. The murder investigation led to his wife and elementary school principal, Leslie Jenea Chance, who was arrested in December 2016.

The prosecutors at Leslie Chance's hearing argued that she had found out about her husband's rekindled romance with his ex-fiance, Carrie Williams, and devised a murder plan as Leslie would be in line for a life insurance payout of $250,000. According to Oxygen, the prosecutors further added that she would have had to pay alimony in case of a divorce as she earned more than Todd Chance.

The Dateline: Unforgettable episode Point Blank airs on February 22, 2024, at 8 pm EST on Investigation Discovery and showcases Todd Chance's murder. The synopsis reads:

"After Todd Chance is murdered, police follow a trail of video evidence to track down their suspect. Andrea Canning recalls a particularly revealing interview, including an eye-popping detail you must see to believe."

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Why did Leslie Jenea Chance kill her husband Todd Chance? Details explored

As reported by ABC News, on August 25, 2013, the dead body of Todd Chance was discovered by a farm worker near an almond orchard, 15 miles away from Bakersfield, with multiple gunshot wounds. The detectives from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office ruled out robbery as a motive behind the crime as they found his wallet on him. A wireless cellphone was found 40 feet away from the body as well.

The officers questioned Todd's wife of 17 years, Leslie Jenea Chance, about his last movements. She mentioned that Todd was a gun enthusiast and collector and had left for a gun show at around 7:30 pm. Leslie showed the officers his gun collection from which an old .38-caliber revolver was seen to be missing.

The same day, officers recovered Todd's black 2011 Ford Mustang from a shady area in southwestern Bakersfield with the keys and the murder weapon—the missing .38-caliber revolver with two spent casings inside the car, according to the search warrant obtained by PEOPLE.

Combined with witness statements from the neighborhood, surveillance footage, and DNA results retrieved from the Mustang, the officers suspected Leslie of killing her husband as her statement fell through. She had told the investigators that she never drove Todd's car and was at her computer at the time of the crime.

According to The Bakersfield Californian, the computer showed no activity during the time frame. Leslie Jenea Chance was arrested in December 2016 and charged with capital murder.

The NBC affiliate KGET further reported that the investigators searched Todd Chance's phone and found a rekindled relationship between him and his ex-fiance, Carrie Williams. Todd and Carrie shared flirtatious texts, sexually explicit images and often made fun of Leslie at her expense. The couple had dated from 1990 to 1995.

As per Oxygen, at her murder trial, the prosecution argued that Leslie's motive behind the murder was an illicit affair. As Jenea Chance earned more than Todd, she would have had to pay him alimony in the event of a divorce. According to The Bakersfield Californian, the prosecutors further argued that a $250,000 life insurance payout added to the motive.

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As reported by 23ABC News Bakersfield, Leslie Jenea Chance was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the capital murder of Todd Chance along with an additional 25 years to life for a firearms enhancement.