3 face charges in killing of Louisville mom set to testify in federal health care fraud case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A third person has now been charged in connection with the murder of a witness aiding a federal investigation.

According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), 60-year-old Lesa Andrade, of Tampa, Florida, has been indicted in connection with the May 8, 2016 murder of Angelina Pressley.

Louisville Metro Police say Pressley was shot in the 4900 block of Creek Pointe Terrace, near Preston Highway. She was found dead outside at the Cooper Creek apartment complex off Preston Highway. Investigators believe she lived at the apartment complex.

Angelina Pressley was shot to death in front of her 8-year-old on May 8, 2016, according to federal authorities. She was found dead outside at the Cooper Creek apartment complex off Preston Highway. Investigators believe she lived at the apartment complex.

She was shot to death in front of her 8-year-old, according to federal authorities.

According to the USDOJ, in October of 2014, Pressley testified in front of a federal grand jury in a federal case against 31-year-old Cynthia Allen.

Allen was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to distribute and dispense hydrocodone, social security number fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to online federal court documents.

In November 2019, a federal grand jury indicted 46-year-old Bobby Lee Smith and Allen in connection with the crime. Authorities say Smith and Allen "aided and abetted each other, and did kill" Pressley in retaliation for her previous testimony in Allen's case.

Bobby Lee Smith and Cynthia Allen, who, as of March 4, 2021, are facing federal charges in connection with the May 8, 2016 murder of Angelina Presley.

The indictment also charged them with "tampering with a witness by killing," alleging that they murdered Pressley in an effort to prevent her future testimony in the case, which was expected to take place in Nov. 2016.

If convicted, Smith and Allen are expected to get either life in prison or the death penalty.

Last month, a superseding indictment also linked Andrade to the case. Investigators say both Andrade and Allen, "aided and abetted by others, solicited, commanded, induced and endeavored to engage in conduct that involved the use, attempted use and threatened use of physical force against the person of another by soliciting, commanding, inducing and persuading Smith and/or Allen to engage in conduct, that is to murder [Angelina Pressley], a witness in an official federal proceeding."

According to Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Tampa, Florida, Andrade was booked in the Pinellas County Detention Center late last month to be held for federal charges.

All three of the suspects are in custody.

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