Father Skins Deceased Wife 'Like a Fish' After Motel Birth Tragedy
In a deeply disturbing and horrific case that has shocked the community, a father of two has been sentenced to nine years in prison after skinning and dismembering his wife following her death during childbirth in a Kansas City motel. Justin Rey, aged 35, was discovered in a storage unit alongside his two young daughters and the dismembered remains of his wife, Jessica Monteiro, who was just 32 years old.
Gruesome Discovery in Storage Unit
Police were alerted to reports of someone living in a storage facility with two children, leading to the arrest of Rey in October 2017. Officers found him with his newborn baby girl and two-year-old daughter, alongside containers holding Jessica's body parts. Rey had spent approximately eight hours cutting up her body in a motel bathtub after she died giving birth, placing the remains in a cooler. He later claimed he did this out of fear that his children would be taken from him, stating, "It's something I had to do to protect my family."
Shocking Photographs and Testimony
During the investigation, it was revealed that Rey had taken sickening photographs with Jessica's dead body and their two children. Lenexa police detective Shannon Murphy testified that Rey made his children pose for these photos and confessed to "skinning her like a fish." Rey also admitted to flushing some body parts, such as the placenta, down a toilet, while storing others in containers. Deputy Johnson County Coroner Charles Glenn noted multiple stab wounds on the remains but could not determine if they occurred before or after death.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Rey faced charges including two counts of aggravated child endangerment and two counts of contributing to a child's misconduct, unrelated to his own children but based on photos of teenagers found on his phone. In court, he was removed for numerous interruptions and watched via video link. He was ultimately sentenced to nine years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender. In a letter, Rey denied being a murderer but conceded, "I did dismember a dead corpse under religious views."
Impact on the Children and Community
The two daughters were placed into protective care after the arrest, with an officer noting the older child "almost looked like she had cancer." Rey claimed he and Jessica had six children together and that police had previously taken their children, leading him to avoid contacting emergency services. This case highlights severe issues of mental health, crime, and child welfare, leaving a lasting impact on all involved and the wider Kansas City area.
