Murderer admits to 1997 cold-case killing of Thousand Oaks bank teller Monica Leech

Officials announced Friday that a San Bernardino man has pleaded guilty to the 1997 cold-case murder of Monica Leech, who was a bank teller and beloved mother of four, in Thousand Oaks.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, 57-year-old Kevin Ray James admitted to killing Leech by shooting her in the back of the head while he and another man, who still remains at large, robbed her bank.

It happened on April 28, 1997, at Western Financial Bank at 2920 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Around 10:15 a.m. that morning, James and another armed robber disguised themselves as construction workers and went into the bank, demanding money.

They forced three workers into the vault room and forced them to unlock the safe, Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff detailed.

Leech and the other workers were handcuffed, forced to their knees, and then – for reasons that remain unclear – James fatally shot her in the back of the head.

Leech, a 39-year-old mother from Camarillo, had only been working at the bank for a few months before she was killed, Fryhoff said.

“Monica was cooperative and not a threat to the bank robbers, so investigators don’t understand why she had to be shot,” Fryhoff said.

James and the other suspect drove off, crashed, but ran away and still managed to escape with a little over $11,000 in cash.

In a 2023 statement from after James was charged, Fryhoff shared that the first deputy who responded to that call had been on patrol for only 18 months at the time.

“When I talked to him about this case the other day he said the first time he ever cried at work was when the family showed up asking for their mom,” Fryhoff recounted.

At the time, there was not enough evidence to identify or arrest any suspects and the case went cold, Fryhoff said.

But in March 2021, the cold case unit reopened the case, and advances in DNA testing allowed investigators to reevaluate evidence for lab analysis, eventually linking James to the case.

Now, as part of his guilty plea, the DA’s office said James will receive a sentence of 19 years to life in state prison.

“Today marks the successful conclusion of a 28-year pursuit of justice for Monica Leech and her family,” said Richard Simon, a senior deputy district attorney. “This resolution not only holds him accountable but also protects our community and spares Monica’s loved ones the pain of reliving this tragedy through a prolonged trial.”

In addition, Leech’s family members released the following statement after James’ plea:

“Losing Monica has been an unbearable tragedy. While nothing can bring her back, we are pleased that the defendant has accepted responsibility for her death. This outcome brings a sense of justice and accountability and allows us to begin moving forward while honoring Monica’s memory. We want to thank investigators with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors and investigators with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for staying with it and achieving this outcome.” 

James is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13 at the Ventura County Superior Court.

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