Unemployed girlfriend won’t even make a sammich
A Las Vegas man who “snapped” because his unemployed girlfriend wouldn’t cook him rice has been sentenced to decades behind bars — ending a relationship that prosecutors say had been spiraling for months.
Deadly Morning in Las Vegas
47‑year‑old Jose Galan‑Preval told police he lost control after asking his girlfriend, Yaimara Leyva‑Cadet, to make him rice before work on January 23. When she refused, he grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her repeatedly inside the couple’s shared home — a house they lived in with roommates after emigrating from Cuba.
Roommates watched the horror unfold and called 911. Leyva‑Cadet was rushed to a nearby hospital but died from her injuries.
A Relationship Under Pressure
During sentencing, Galan‑Preval’s public defender painted a picture of a relationship cracking under financial stress. Both had been optometrists in Cuba, but in the U.S., Galan‑Preval worked manual labor while Leyva‑Cadet refused to work despite being “qualified,” according to the attorney.
The imbalance, jealousy, and accusations of cheating allegedly fueled constant fights.
Kim‑Steadman told the court:
“He snapped.”
She said Leyva‑Cadet demanded access to his phone and believed he was being unfaithful — tensions that boiled over the morning she refused to cook.
He Turned Himself In
After the stabbing, Galan‑Preval didn’t flee far. He walked into a police station and surrendered, telling officers he “lost control of his emotions.”
Police found Leyva‑Cadet inside the home with multiple stab wounds. Galan‑Preval was arrested without incident.
Judge: Remorse vs. Brutality
Galan‑Preval agreed to a sentence of 10 to 25 years for second‑degree murder. Prosecutors pushed for an additional 20 years for the deadly‑weapon enhancement — but Judge Jaqueline Bluth settled on four to 10.
Bluth said the case was difficult to balance:
“I do believe he just snapped… but it is such a horrific way to die.”
A Tearful Apology
Speaking through a Spanish interpreter, Galan‑Preval apologized to both families:
“I would have liked to be in her place instead of her. I ask for forgiveness from this country that let me come in.”
He will serve 14 to 35 years in Nevada state prison.
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