Riverdale Man Receives 30 Years For Stabbing Mother-in-Law 50 Times

A Riverdale man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of his mother-in-law last April.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks sent out the information Wednesday afternoon, following the sentencing.

Ranulfo Vargas, 25, engaged in a physical altercation with his mother-in-law Cristela Bermudez Leon, 40, over past-due rent, according to Alsobrook's office. 

The statement said that Vargas strangled and stabbed Leon more than 50 times and used multiple knives in the stabbing, which occurred at the 6600 block of 60th Avenue, just east of

A jury found Vargas guilty of second-degree murder on March 25. 

According to reports, Vargas came to the United States illegally and married Leon’s daughter who was 15 at the time of the marriage.  Leon gave them permission to be married as state law requires that a person under the age of 18 must get parental permission to be married. 

The couple and their two young children lived with Leon at the time of the murder.  Vargas will be deported after he has completed his sentence, according to Alsobrooks.