Richard Montano is convicted of first-degree murder after savagely killing and torching ‘Kelly’ Vaca Abacay who he mistakenly thought was his ex-girlfriend – as chilling 911 call and Ring doorbell photos are released

A man who killed a mother-of-two before setting her on fire at a home in Virginia has been convicted of first-degree murder and arson.

In August 2022, Richard Montano, 48, killed Silvia ‘Kelly’ Vaca Abacay, 40, believing her to be his ex-girlfriend.

Montano had laid in wait for his ex to return to her Fairfax home, but he ended up killing one of her friends, Abacay, who had also been staying in the apartment instead. 

Montano – who now faces life in prison – stabbed her before setting fire to her body to hide the killing. 

Abacay, who was married and had two children, a 14-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old son, had been visiting from Bolivia and staying at the home of Montano’s ex, Fatima Via Rojas. 

Silvia ‘Kelly’ Vaca Abacay, 40, was killed in a case of mistaken identity

Richard Montano, 48, has been found guilty of first-degree murder and arson in the case involving the killing of Silvia ‘Kelly’ Vaca Abacay, a 40-year-old mother of two

The trial included evidence that showed Montano entering the apartment that afternoon as he prepared to kill Rojas, his ex-girlfriend, after their eight-year relationship had come to an end.

Ring camera footage from a neighbor’s house showed Montano entering her  apartment several times during the preceding month without her knowledge. 

He had most recently been in the house ten days before the killing.

When a neighbor heard screaming and banging from across the hall, they called 911 four times the fateful afternoon. 

At the trial, jurors could hear Abacay’s scream echoing in the 911 call. 

‘He quite literally went for the jugular. Listen to the pain and anguish in Silvia’s voice as she is screaming for her life,’ prosecutors said during the trial, according to NBC Washington. 

‘The screaming and banging continued for 15 minutes that Silvia Abacay endured a violent attack that left Apartment 101 in carnage.’ 

One detective testified how the attack was so violent there were blood stains running down the walls.

When emergency services arrived, police officers saw smoke coming from the apartment. 

Montano was caught on doorbell camera visiting the apartment ten times before the killing

Neighbors hear banging and screaming as Abacay was brutally beaten and stabbed

Inside, they found Abacay on fire and with multiple stab wounds to her upper body. 

‘He lit a body on fire to cover up a gruesome murder. A gruesome murder of the wrong person. He murdered the wrong person and now he needs to cover his tracks,’ prosecutors said during the trial. 

First responders extinguished the fire and attempted to provide life-saving measures, however, she was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Medical examiners found Abacay had been stabbed at least ten times on her face, head and neck and subsequently died from multiple ‘sharp and blunt force wounds’ incurred before she was set on fire. 

Montano fled out of a back window and went back to his home in Arlington, Virginia, where he was arrested later that day.

Abacay was found on fire and with multiple stab wounds to her upper body

Prosecutors believe that Montano mistakenly thought Abacay was his ex-girlfriend when he killed her, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano

Prosecutors believe Montano mistakenly thought Abacay was his ex-girlfriend when he killed her, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.

‘As Commonwealth’s Attorney, I’ve seen considerable crime scenes and photos, but the photos from this case stood out in terms of the victims’ injuries,’ Descano said. ‘This case exhibited some of the most disturbing crime scenes I’ve ever encountered.

‘The body was so burned that the medical examiner wasn’t even able to maybe accurately count how many wounds Sylvia had. That’s the level of violence we saw in this case,’ said Descano. 

The jury deliberated on Thursday for just three hours, before returning a guilty verdict.

‘Nothing is gonna bring Sylvia back. She has a husband and two teenage kids. There’s always going to be pain there for them, but my hope is that this puts them on the path to healing somewhat,’ said Descano.

Abacay had been stabbed at least ten times on her face, head and neck and subsequently died from multiple ‘sharp and blunt force wounds’ incurred before she was set on fire.

Abacay’s friends described her as a great friend, mother and person who was always the life of the party

‘While we can’t bring Silvia back, we can ensure that Montano doesn’t pose further threats to the public,’ he added.

Abacay’s friends described her as a great friend, mother and person who was always the life of the party. A GoFundMe was set up to help her children in the short term.

‘Kelly was friendly and full of joy, and always there to help others,’ her friend Jose Luis Landivar said in the GoFundMe posting. ‘She was loved by so many, and will be deeply missed. Her family and friends are heartbroken at their loss.’ 

‘I was in shock, I couldn’t believe it,’ said Yerin Ronero, Abacay’s friend to Fox 5. ‘I just couldn’t believe it. The person who did it is a friend of ours. We’ve known each other for a long time. It’s just shocking.’

Montano now faces faces up to life in prison at his January 2024 sentencing.