SHARE

Brother Kills Over 'Poison' Dinner, Shot PA Sister Calls 911: Affidavit

A 47-year-old man shot his sister and killed his brother-in-law after he thought they were poisoning his dinner so they could take his money, Northern York County Regional Police Detective Michael Hine explained in court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Feb. 20. 

Antonio Saldana-Ramos was convinced his family had poisoned dinner so he attacked them shooting his sister and killing his brother-in-law, authorities allege in court documents obtained by Daily Voice. 

Antonio Saldana-Ramos was convinced his family had poisoned dinner so he attacked them shooting his sister and killing his brother-in-law, authorities allege in court documents obtained by Daily Voice. 

Photo Credit: York County Central Booking

Antonio Saldana-Ramos has been held in the York County Prison without bail per state law on the charge of homicide, as Daily Voice previously reportedHe was also charged with felony attempted first-degree murder for shooting his sister in the family home in the 1400 block of Clayoma Avenue in North Codorus Township around 5 p.m. on Feb. 15.

His mom Rosa, sister Matriza, and his brother-in-law Hector Vargas called Saldana-Ramos to the kitchen table for dinner, but when he never showed up, so the family began without him — suddenly Saldana-Ramos arrived and shot Vargas once in the back of the head and three additional times in his back, Det. Hine detailed in the affidavit of probable.

As Rosa screamed he left the room for a moment, only to return to shoot Matriza in the chest, according to the affidavit. Rosa hid under the table as the family dogs began to attack her son. 

That's when he went out the back door and he was arrested on the property later that evening, according to police. 

Rosa asked Matriza to take care of the dogs and call 911, which she did while bleeding from her gunshot wound to the chest, as explained in the affidavit. Rosa ran to the restroom and called her other adult daughter, detailing what just happened and asking her to also call 911. 

Arriving officers found a Vargas with multiple gunshot wounds and a Martiza was taken to York Hospital "with serious injuries," the police said in their initial release.

After Saldana-Ramos was taken into police custody and interviewed, he explained his motive as follows as stated in the affidavit; “he thought they were conspiring to kill him. He thought they were poisoning his food and trying to kill him for his money.”

Saldana-Ramos’ preliminary hearing is scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Thomas Reilly at 10 a.m. on March 15.

He has no prior criminal offenses in the state. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northern York County Regional Police at 717.467.TELL (8355) or tips@nycrpd.org and reference case number 2024-006783.

to follow Daily Voice Allentown and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE