Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Stabbing Ex-Girlfriend to Death 'As a Joke'

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A 34-year-old Pennsylvania man named Samuel Lopez-Ordones has been sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison for stabbing his ex-girlfriend, 27-year-old Daniela Allende, to death in January 2025. Lopez-Ordones claimed he stabbed Allende "as a joke" after seeing her with another man at a restaurant.

Why it matters

This case highlights the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the need for better resources and support systems to prevent such incidents. It also raises questions about the criminal justice system's handling of crimes committed in the heat of passion and the appropriate sentencing for offenders who claim their actions were unintentional.

The details

According to court documents, Lopez-Ordones and Allende had been in a relationship for about 10 years before she broke up with him in January 2025 and asked him to move out. In the following week, Lopez-Ordones grew jealous, placing a GPS tracker on Allende's vehicle and arguing with her about visitation with their children. On January 29, 2025, he followed Allende to a restaurant parking lot where he saw her with another man. When Allende returned home, Lopez-Ordones confronted her and claimed he saw a knife nearby, picked it up, and stabbed her "as a joke," not realizing he had stabbed her deeply in the chest until afterward.

• On January 29, 2025, Lopez-Ordones followed Allende to a restaurant parking lot and saw her with another man.
• Later that day, when Allende returned home, Lopez-Ordones confronted her and stabbed her, claiming it was "as a joke".
• In January 2025, Allende had broken up with Lopez-Ordones and asked him to move out of their shared home.

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Samuel Lopez-Ordones out on bail.