Angelo Mantych Sentenced to Life in Prison for Amtrak Murder

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Angelo Mantych was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On December 12, 2025, a jury convicted Mantych of First-Degree Murder.

On September 1, 2016, Mantych killed 28-year-old Marina Placensia on board the train they were riding from Wisconsin to Denver. Marina and Mantych had three young children together, all of whom were on the train when Marina was killed.

“Marina Placensia’s death was a horrifying tragedy: a young mother with her whole life ahead of her smothered to death while her children slept nearby.  Today’s sentence ensures that Angelo Mantych will spend the rest of his life in prison, where he belongs after committing such a heinous crime.  I hope this sentence brings some comfort and a sense of justice to all those who knew and loved Marina, most importantly, of course, her children,” said DA Walsh.  “I want to thank the prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates and paralegals in my office whose outstanding work over many years brought about the successful resolution of this case.”

Assistant District Attorney Lara Mullin and Chief Deputy District Attorney Amelia Sapp led the prosecution team for the Denver DA’s Office. Randy Denison and John Saulton were the lead investigators, Audrey Keen was the Victim Advocate, and Holly Mandis was the Paralegal on the case.

About the Denver DA’s Office:

The mission of the Denver DA’s Office is to protect the community, to seek equal justice for all, and to improve the quality and fairness of criminal justice on behalf of the people of Colorado.  We achieve that mission through excellence in our work investigating and prosecuting crime, supporting victims and their families, working with the community to prevent crime, and providing fair alternatives to incarceration in appropriate cases.

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