Jersey City man who strangled wife, stuffed body in 55-gallon drum sentenced to 22 years

By Ron Zeitlinger/The Jersey Journal
March 11, 2014 at 4:34 PM

The Jersey City man who strangled his wife and stuffed her body in a 55-gallon drum in 2011 was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Steven Acuna, 40, had a confrontation with Randy "Amanda" Lehrer, 32, on Aug. 13, 2011 and strangled her in their Jersey City Heights home, he admitted when he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on Oct. 10. The body of Lehrer, a popular waitress, was found more than a month later, Sept, 23.

Acuna was facing up to 25 years in prison as a result of the guilty plea. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale also ordered no early release for Acuna when he was sentenced on Friday.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Sal Rozzi, who handled the case, said he asked for 25 years, while the defense asked for an 18-year sentence. Acuna, who already has two years time served, must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he's eligible for parole.

When Lehrer was reported missing on Aug. 17, 2011, a local search ensued, with friends and family members posting her photo all over the Jersey City Heights neighborhood where she and her husband lived.

Authorities said that Acuna filled the 55-gallon drum with cement after he put Lehrer's body in the drum. Investigators, who had Acuna pegged as a person of interest from the start, found the drum in the basement of their building where the Acunas lived.

Lehrer and Acuna had a baby girl, who just turned 1 when Acuna was arrested. She is 3 years old now and is in the custody of Lehrer's family, Rozzi said.

Lehrer's mother and sister attended the sentencing and were too emotional to read a statement they had prepared, so Rozzi read their statement into the record. The sentencing was also attended by Acuna's father and sister, Rozzi said.

Acuna also spoke briefly before he was sentenced and apologized to Lehrer's family, Rozzi said.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... 2_years.html#incart_river

Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

The Jersey City Heights man charged with strangling his wife and stuffing her body in a concrete-filled drum in their basement pleaded guilty today to aggravated manslaughter and will face 25 years in prison, authorities said.

Steven Acuna, 40, of Charles Street, had been charged with murder in the August 2011 homicide of Randy "Amanda" Lehrer, 32, and he could have faced life in prison had he not taken the plea today, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Salvatore Rozzi said.

Standing before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale, Acuna admitted having a confrontation with his wife on Aug. 13, 2011 and strangling her, Rozzi said. Acuna said nothing about encasing his wife in the concrete-filled 50-gallon barrel.

The remains of Lehrer, a popular waitress who worked at Tommy's Restaurant on Central Avenue, were discovered on Sept. 23, 2011, in the basement of the Charles Street apartment building where the couple lived with their 1-year-old daughter.

Lehrer was last seen leaving her job at Tommy's Restaurant on Aug. 12 and a neighbor said she spoke with Lehrer on Aug. 14. Acuna, who didn't report his wife missing until Aug. 17, was uncooperative with police from the start, only speaking with his lawyer present.

After killing his wife, Acuna wrapped her in material, put her body in the barrel, filled it with cement and hid it under construction materials.

Lehrer's family members are expected to speak when Acuna is sentenced by DePascale on Dec. 6 in the Hudson County Administration Building.

I would think the police are trained to search an entire property? I know the State police was involved and they too didn?t think its appropriate to take the cadaver dog down to the basement? How about the HC Prosecutor office? How many homicide cases have they been involved in, which calls for the search of an entire house a possible crime has taken place?


The family should have gotten the closure they sleeked on day one.

Quote:

This article below says that police did not search the basement of the home this women lived in until this Friday, more than a month after the woman disappeared.
OK..... Before I go ballistic on the police department, is there something I am missing? Maybe it bad writing on the reporters part, maybe there were valid reasons the basement was not searched. Maybe someone was misquoted.

As a citizen, I want to know what the devil is up here. Anyone work with the JCPD that could comment? Unless this is explained, I will feel someone should loose their job on this.


http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... drum_containing_rema.html

Husband Charged with Murder.


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011 ... y_man_charged_with_k.html

I wonder who will get disciplined for this utter lack of police invistigation if that barrel does contain the remains of Lehrer. How is it possible that not one police officer or anyone from forensics checked the basement. Lazy, incompetent or both?

Another great job by JCPD and all investigators involved - the KEYSTONE COPS are alive and well!!

55-gallon drum containing remains found in building where woman lived before disappearance

Friday, September 23, 2011, 9:55 PM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY ? Police have found what they believe are remains in a concrete-filled drum in the basement of an apartment where a missing Jersey City woman lives, authorities said tonight.

"We believe it contains remains," Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said tonight. "If we have human remains we don't know at this point."

The 55-gallon drum was found in the basement of the same Charles Street building where Randy "Amanda" Lehrer lived with her husband, Steven Acuna, and their 11-month-old daughter before she disappeared.

Lehrer, 32, was reported missing on Aug. 17, police say, after an argument with her husband. Police also said that Acuna has been uncooperative in their investigation.
Acuna was not at the home today when police arrived at noon.

Earlier this month a cadaver dog was used to search the family's home, but no evidence of foul play was found. Police said they had not searched the basement of the building until today.

Some responders who entered the building in hazmat suits and with oxygen tanks were scrubbed down afterward in the yellow tent.

Tonight Charles Street was closed between Summit and Central avenues as police continued their investigation. Members of the police and fire departments, along with Emergency Service Unit vehicles and hazardous materials units were on the scene today. At 5:30 p.m., Medical Examiner employees arrived.

"There is a significant development in the case," Police Chief Tom Comey said this afternoon, but he did not provide any more information.

"I knew her from (Tommie's Diner, where Lehrer works)," said Melissa Wilderman, 18, of Bowers Street. "She used to serve me and my boyfriend. I was
pregnant and she was pregnant and we used to talk. We hung out a couple of times in front of her house after she got off work.

"When she went missing I couldn't believe it. I'm hoping she's alive. ... I hope it's not her."

No one has been charged in Lehrer's disappearance, said DeFazio.

Yea she was found chopped up in the barrel and the husband is believed to bhave fled the country.
That's crazy espically since the barrel was there the whole time she's been missing.

Looks like the body has been found.

Quote:

If this drum was found on the property how was it not found from start?

Agreed. This guy should be suspect #1. If my wife went missing, I would be scouring the earth for her. This guy obviously has a lot to hide.

Everything I know about police investigations is what I observed on the show "Columbo". So the bottom line is that when someone refuses to cooperate...they are the guilty party otherwise they would do anything and everything to get to the bottom of the situation. The end.

I can't believe that an innocent person would put so many obstacles in trying to locate the mother of your child unless you are involved in her disappearance.

I hope family, friends or people in the area can assist in putting the pieces together and finding the mother.

View Larger Map http://www.tommyfamilyrestaurant.com/ Jersey City police say husband has not assisted search for missing wife Published: Saturday, August 20, 2011, 3:01 AM By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal Randy "Amanda" Lehrer of Jersey City, the mother of a 10-month-old baby, has been reported missing since Aug. 17, 2011. Jersey City Police Department photo Police seek help in finding missing Jersey City woman gallery Jersey City police say they are concerned for the safety of a Jersey City mother who has gone missing and say her husband has been very uncooperative and has made the investigation difficult. ?Her husband has refused to speak to us outside the presence of an attorney,? Police Chief Tom Comey said yesterday of the husband of Randy Lehrer, 32, of Charles Street, who was last seen in public leaving her job at Tommy?s Restaurant on Central Avenue at 2 p.m. Friday. ?We will continue to pursue this investigation until we either locate her or find she is no longer with us,? Comey said at the 11:30 a.m. press conference, where he noted that the missing woman has a 10-month-old child and also goes by the first name ?Amanda.? ?We are very concerned,? he said. Comey said there is no sign of foul play, but police have confirmed that the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office?s Homicide Squad assisted in the search of the family?s home. Comey said Lehrer has not missed a day of work in three years except around the time she gave birth. The chief said the New Jersey State Police have joined the search and he asked anyone with information on Lehrer?s whereabouts to contact the police. A cook at Tommy?s Family Restaurant, where Lehrer works, said she left Friday and said good-bye to everyone. ?There was no problem. Nothing,? the cook said. Tommy?s patrons Joseph Johnson and his mother, Mary, stopped yesterday afternoon to read the missing-persons flier in the window of the restaurant. ?I think it?s terrible,? Joseph Johnson said. ?If I had a girl that beautiful I?d be doing all I could to find her. Not only would I help the police, I?d get my brothers involved.? Lehrer is 5-foot-2, weighs 145 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes, and is of fair complexion. She has a tattoo on her right shoulder reading: ?Laugh Now Cry Later,? police said. Police did not release Lehrer?s husband?s name. Comey said his lack of cooperation has made it necessary for police to use court orders and subpoenas to get information. The chief said the police department is working on getting access to Lehrer?s cell phone, but the task has been complicated. Lehrer?s husband could not be reached for comment. The search for Lehrer has included interviews from California to Canada, where Lehrer was born, Comey said. The husband reported her missing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and said she left after an argument. Comey said people interviewed told police that Lehrer would never leave her baby behind. The child is now being cared for by the paternal grandfather. Anyone with information on Lehrer?s whereabouts is asked to call the police tip line at (201) 547-JAIL. Police have also asked Lehrer to contact them to tell them she is OK.