LOS ANGELES, CA – A Los Angeles woman faces the likelihood of a lengthy prison sentence after a jury found her guilty of murdering an actor during an illegal cosmetic procedure earlier this year.
On Thursday, jurors convicted 55-year-old Libby Adame of second-degree murder and unlicensed medical practice following the death of Cindyana Santangelo, 58, a performer who made appearances in television series including “Married with Children,” “C.S.I. Miami,” and “E.R.” Authorities say Santangelo died after Adame administered silicone oil injections during an unauthorized buttocks enhancement at the victim’s Malibu home.
Santangelo is at least the second known person to have died under Adame’s care. In a separate case, Adame was recently convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Ventura County after the 2019 death of 26-year-old Karissa Rajpaul, an adult film actor who died following a similar illegal injection. Adame’s daughter, Alicia Galaz, was also convicted in that case.
Investigators have described Adame and her daughter as having no formal medical training. They would offer butt enhancement procedures using industrial-grade silicone cut with other substances—substances that, when injected directly into the body, can cause deadly complications. In both fatal cases, prosecutors allege Adame fled the scene once her clients began experiencing medical emergencies.
Court records show that after their convictions for Rajpaul’s death, Adame was sentenced to four years and four months in prison, while Galaz received a term just shy of four years. However, both women were released within a year, having received credit for time spent under electronic monitoring and prior detention.
At trial for Santangelo’s death, prosecutors highlighted that Adame had been explicitly warned about the risks of her actions during her earlier legal proceedings. The presiding judge in that case cautioned her that further incidents could result in murder charges—a warning Adame apparently ignored, officials said.
Santangelo’s husband testified during the trial, recounting that his wife began convulsing shortly after receiving the injections and that Adame immediately fled the home. Emergency responders were not told about the cosmetic procedure, depriving doctors of crucial information that could have shaped their efforts to save Santangelo.
While Adame took the stand, she insisted she had not performed the fatal injection, claiming another party administered a prior injection and that she had simply been brought to the home as a consultant. She maintained the area had been bandaged before her arrival and that her expertise was limited to procedures performed in Mexico with authorized providers.
Medical authorities say liquid silicone injections of this kind are particularly hazardous. The uncontained substance can enter the bloodstream, forming embolisms that may lead to organ failure or death. In Rajpaul’s case, the Los Angeles County Coroner attributed her death to acute cardiopulmonary dysfunction following the illegal injections.
Following the verdict, scheduling was set for Adame’s sentencing on November 5. She now faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison.