Rodeo murder suspect who claimed ‘she shot herself’ sentenced to 21 years in prison

MARTINEZ — A Rodeo man who allegedly claimed that his girlfriend had “shot herself” has pleaded no contest to killing her, and been sentenced to 21 years and eight months for it, court records show.

Joseph Sullivan, 21, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and threatening police, and was driven to prison on March 17, court records show. He is incarcerated at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran, according to prison records.

Sullivan was originally charged with murder in the Feb. 20, 2024 shooting death of 20-year-old Leeasia Futch, but in June 2025, prosecutors and Sullivan’s defense attorneys told a judge they’d agreed to a plea deal. The murder count was dropped after Sullivan entered his no contest plea, and he was not sentenced until late February, court records show.

Court filings and police reports tell a story of increasingly disturbing domestic violence by Sullivan against Futch, as well as her documented attempts to end the relationship. On July 6, 2023, she petitioned the court for a restraining order against Sullivan, who she said had “slapped me, strangled me, bit me, hit me, broke my phone, used profanity calling me names and would not let me go home.” But weeks later she failed to follow up on the petition and it was dropped.

Three days before the petition was filed, Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call in Rodeo, where they observed cuts, scratches, and bruises on Futch, and Sullivan’s presence at the scene. He told police he was trying to stop her from hurting herself, and was never charged in connection with that incident, according to court records.

Police say there was another documented incident of alleged domestic violence in 2023, when Sullivan and Futch went on a trip to Lake Comanche with members of Futch’s family. They reported seeing him slap her at a campsite by the lake, and said he would have struck her again if multiple family members hadn’t physically intervened. On the ride home, Futch allegedly pulled Sullivan’s hair during an argument and he hit her “at least five times,” then prevented her from opening a car door, investigators wrote in a police report.

Sullivan killed Futch inside his home on the 1200 block of Trigger Road in Rodeo, according to police. Sullivan’s mother called police around 10:40 p.m., reporting that when she got home that night, her son greeted her with the haunting words, “she shot herself,” referring to Futch, according to court records.

But when police reviewed security camera footage, they realized a camera’s microphone had captured the argument and shooting, which occurred about 80 minutes before the 911 call. In it, Sullivan can be heard yelling, repeatedly, for Futch to “get the f— up,” as Futch cries and says, “can you stop,” according to authorities. Then a gunshot is heard.

A Glock pistol was found behind the residence. Sullivan faced 50 years to life if convicted as originally charged. His trial was set to begin around the same time he agreed to the plea deal, court records show.