New Jersey

Man Gets 15 Years in 1 Woman's Death, Faces Trial in Another

Prosecutors said the two had a 2-year-old child together and Allen also was six months pregnant with Brennan's baby at the time of her murder

What to Know

  • A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the death of one girlfriend and still faces trial in the slaying of another
  • Daniel Brennan pleaded guilty in August to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the July 2018 beating death of Leeann Foltrauer
  • Weeks after his arrest in Foltrauer's death, Brennan was charged with killing 24-year-old Courtney Allen in 2011

A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the death of one girlfriend and still faces trial in the slaying of another.

Daniel Brennan, 34, pleaded guilty in August to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the July 2018 beating death of 31-year-old Leeann Foltrauer in her Pitman home. NJ.com reports that he must serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed Friday in Gloucester County Court before being eligible for parole.

Brennan declined an opportunity to speak in court, but relatives and friends of the victim spoke about her loss.

"She had so much spirit in her. She grew up surrounded by a loving family and friends and you took her away from all of us," her mother, Gail Moran, told Brennan.

Friends of the victim said they were concerned about her young son.

"She can't see her son grow up," Andrea DaCosta said. "How can this ever be explained to him. How is justice being served today. How is 15 years OK?"

Weeks after his arrest in Foltrauer's death, Brennan was charged with killing 24-year-old Courtney Allen, who was found in the basement of her Vineland home on New Year's Eve 2011. Prosecutors said the two had a 2-year-old child together and Allen also was six months pregnant with Brennan's baby at the time of her murder. Prosecutors said Allen was killed by "asphyxia due to neck compressions" and her body had been moved and "repositioned" prior to the arrival of police.

Authorities said in an affidavit of probable cause that a woman told investigators in May that Brennan assaulted her during a domestic dispute and said "he was going to kill her like he killed Courtney."

Defense attorney Alex Varghese has expressed concern about the other case influencing public opinion. He has also pointed to the length of time between Allen's death and the charges, questioning what "new evidence" there was, and said the autopsy report's lack of a time of death raised questions about Brennan's whereabouts at the time.

Under terms of the plea agreement, Brennan's sentence in Foltrauer's death will be served concurrently to any sentence in the 2011 Cumberland County case.

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