Who were charged in Andrea Cincotta's murder? Details explored ahead of NBC Dateline

Andrea Cincotta, a single mother-of-one and local librarian, was strangled to death in August 1998. Her body was discovered by the victim's fiance, James Christopher Johnson, in the closet of the Arlington, Virginia, apartment they shared. The fiance, along with Bobby Joe Leonard, a maintenance worker, were declared primary suspects initially until the case went cold.

Over two decades later, Andrea Cincotta's fiance and Leonard, already serving time for the r*pe and attempted murder of a teenager, were charged in her 1998 strangulation death. Leonard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, receiving a life sentence, while Johnson was found not guilty in a trial.

Eventually, Bobby Joe Leonard, who was already serving time in prison, confessed two decades later and also implicated James Christopher Johnson. Both men were charged in 2021.

NBC Dateline is slated to further delve into Andrea Cincotta's strangulation death and the mystery that followed this Friday. The episode titled Behind the Closet Door will air on the channel at 9:00 pm ET on June 23, 2023.

Here's a look at the official synopsis for the upcoming episode:

"After Andrea Cincotta is found murdered in her Virginia home, her son embarks on a 20-year quest for justice that leads him down a dark and twisted path. Josh Mankiewicz reports."

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Andrea Cincotta's then-fiance was found not guilty after the jury refused to believe the killer's testimony

James Christopher Johnson was considered a primary suspect in the twisted murder case of his one-time fiancee, Andrea Cincotta, who was found strangled in the closet of the apartment they shared back in August 1998. He was acquitted of all charges last November after being in the radar for nearly 25 years while convicted r*pist Bobby Joe Leonard pleaded guilty.

In 2021, 59-year-old Johnson and 53-year-old Leonard, accused of murder-for-hire, were each charged with aggravated murder. The former was the victim's live-in fiance and had been in a seven-year relationship with the 52-year-old when she was murdered in their apartment.

Meanwhile, Leonard was already serving a life sentence on charges stemming from an unrelated r*pe and attempted murder of a 13-year-old when Cincotta's murder charge was brought against him. He had also been to her apartment only a few weeks before the murder. The victim had given him an old computer and printer.

James Christopher Johnson was considered a primary suspect in the twisted murder case of his one-time fiancee, Andrea Cincotta, who was found strangled in the closet of the apartment they shared back in August 1998. He was acquitted of all charges last November after being in the radar for nearly 25 years while convicted r*pist Bobby Joe Leonard pleaded guilty.

In 2021, 59-year-old Johnson and 53-year-old Leonard, accused of murder-for-hire, were each charged with aggravated murder. The former was the victim's live-in fiance and had been in a seven-year relationship with the 52-year-old when she was murdered in their apartment.

Meanwhile, Leonard was already serving a life sentence on charges stemming from an unrelated r*pe and attempted murder of a 13-year-old when Cincotta's murder charge was brought against him. He had also been to her apartment only a few weeks before the murder. The victim had given him an old computer and printer.

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Andrea Cincotta's case is set to feature in an upcoming episode of NBC Dateline this Friday.