Man convicted of first-degree murder in 2005 Lenexa apartment stabbing
A man was found guilty in Johnson County court Tuesday of fatally stabbing a woman in a Lenexa apartment in 2005.
After a six-day trial, a Johnson County jury found Angel Herrera guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated burglary in the death of Maria Morfin-Rojas, 30, in 2005, according to court records.
On Sept. 15, 2005, Lenexa police officers responded to reports of suspicious activity at an apartment in the 11900 block of West 77th Terrace, Officer Danny Chavez previously told The Star. There, they found Morfin-Rojas stabbed to death in an apartment.
Herrera, who was 23 at the time, was identified as a suspect, and was formally charged on Sept. 17, 2005. Officers discovered that Herrera had fled to El Salvador days prior to the discovery of Morfin-Rojas’ body.
On April 27, 2023, detectives in Lenexa were notified that Herrera had been arrested in El Salvador. He was extradited back to Johnson County.
On Wednesday, one day after a jury convicted him, Herrera filed a motion for a new trial, according to Johnson County court documents.
The motion alleges that the court made a mistake in admitting a statement made by Herrera to law enforcement officers during the investigation and allowing certain evidence to be permitted, according to court documents.
Herrera is set to appear for a sentencing hearing March 26.
The Star’s Kendrick Calfee contributed reporting.
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 6:24 PM.
