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Charges Delayed Against Principal Accused Of Killing Husband

BAKERSFIELD -- A Bakersfield elementary school principal will not be arraigned on murder charges Tuesday afternoon, Deputy District Attorney Andrea Kohler confirmed.

The case against Leslie Janea Chance, 46, has been returned to sheriff's homicide detectives for more investigation, Kohler said. Chance is the principal at Fairview Elementary school.

Chance was held without bail after deputies said she shot and killed her husband, Todd, in an orchard Aug. 25. She was arrested late Thursday and booked into the downtown jail early Friday.

Because defendants have a right to a speedy trial, the prosecutor must generally file charges within 48 hours of the arrest when the defendant is in custody. Weekends, court holidays, and mandatory court closure days do not count against the 48 hours.

With no charges after the 48 hours, defendants must be released.

Greenfield Union School District officials say Chance had been with the district for 16 years, as a teacher and now principal at Fairview Elementary School.

Beloved by students, some parents said there no way Chance murdered her husband.

"I couldn't believe it was her," said parent Rosenda Lora.

But, the Sheriff's Department said it has a mound of evidence against her.

"We are certain that the person responsible for shooting Mr. Chance is his wife Leslie Chance," said Ray Pruitt, Kern County Sheriff's Department spokesman.

Sheriff's deputies say it all started Sunday. Todd Chance left the couple's home around 7:30 a.m., investigators said.

Two hours later, farm workers found his body in an almond orchard with several gunshot wounds, about 15 miles from the Chance's house. Deputies said they believed Todd Chance was shot in the field.

After the shooting, deputies said Leslie Chance drove her husband's Ford Mustang to a residential neighborhood and abandoned the car.

Todd Chance's parents live in Shafter. Travis and Diane Chance would not speak on camera, but told 17 News they had no indication Leslie and Todd had a bad marriage. In fact, the couple had just returned from vacation in San Francisco, they said.

Deputies say Todd Chance was a truck driver at Conway Freight. His obituary indicates he is the father of three daughters.
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Posted: Tuesday Sep-3-2013 1:45 PM

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