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PA Parental Murder Conspiracy; 55lb Twin Teens Starved, Forced Outside Naked: DA
A Lower Macungie Township mother and stepfather accused of starving their twin 15-year-old sons to just 55 pounds, forcing them outside naked in freezing temperatures, beating them, and coercing them to lie to authorities are now facing conspiracy to commit murder charges, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced Friday, Feb. 21.
Starvation, Isolation, and Physical Abuse
The abuse was uncovered on Jan. 22, when Pennsylvania State Police responded to a call on Divot Drive and found one of the teens, "Victim 1," running naked in 2-degree weather. The boy said his stepfather forc…
PA Teen Raped Restrained, Strangled, Found In Basement: DA
A teenage girl was raped, restrained, and strangled in a basement by two men in Slatington, according to Lehigh County authorities.
Tristan Richard Zawick, 22, of Whitehall, and Jacquan Tanasse, 18, of Slatington, have been charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and criminal conspiracy to commit rape, officials announced on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Slatington police were called to a home in the 200 block of Walnut Street just before 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, where officers found the victim in the basement, prosecutors said. She told investigators that Zawick and Tanasse raped h…
Second Arrest Made In Deadly Allentown Nightclub Shooting
A second man has been charged in connection with the deadly shooting outside an Allentown nightclub that killed 32-year-old Ivan Diaz Jr. and injured three others, authorities announced on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Pedro Junior Paulino, 35, of Allentown, surrendered to police and is charged with Criminal Homicide, three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Aggravated Assault, Person Not to Use or Possess a Firearm, Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License – Prior Conviction, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
Paulin…
Murder-For-Hire Plot: PA Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Plotted To Kill Husband, DA
A Palmerton wife is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that ended with her husband's fatal shooting in a Whitehall Township parking lot, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Brenda Rodriguez, 51, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 28, and is being held in Lehigh County Jail without bail.
Rodriguez is charged with Criminal Solicitation – Criminal Homicide, Conspiracy – Aggravated Assault, and Aggravated Assault, all felonies of the first degree, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled fo…
PA Man Accused Of Murdering, Dismembering Roommate Commits Suicide: Coroner
A Lehigh County inmate accused of killing and dismembering his roommate last year has died by suicide at a hospital, the coroner announced on Sunday, Jan. 12.
Joshua Douglas Moser, 34, of Allentown, was pronounced dead at 3:41 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown, according to Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio.
Moser, who was being held at Lehigh County Jail, was charged in May 2024 with homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence in the murder of his 37-year-old roommate, David Hittinger, authorities said and Daily Voice previously reported.
Inv…
7 Hospitalized, 30 Displaced After Arson Damages 6 Homes In Pennsylvania: Police
A fire in Allentown that injured seven people, including four firefighters, and displaced 30 residents is now being investigated as arson, authorities announced Friday, Dec. 27.
Santos Mota-Ramirez, 60, of Allentown, has been charged in connection with the fire, police announced Friday.
The blaze began around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, in the 700 block of West Cedar Street and quickly spread to six adjacent row homes, according to the Allentown Fire Department.
Dozens of firefighters battled the flames, which left five families displaced and caused severe damage to multiple homes, offi…
Armed Burglary, Standoff At PA Pharmacy On Christmas Eve Lands 2 Charges
Two men have been charged following an armed burglary and standoff with police at the Fountain Hill Pharmacy in Lehigh County on Christmas Eve, authorities announced Wednesday, Dec. 25.
Miguel Martinez, 56, of Allentown, and David Vazquez, 33, of Bethlehem, face multiple charges, including felony burglary, felony recklessly endangering another person, and several misdemeanors such as theft by unlawful taking, prohibited offensive weapon, and possessing an instrument of crime, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
The charges stem from an incident at 1049 Broadway th…
Inmate Found Unresponsive At Lehigh County Jail Dies: Investigation Underway
A Lehigh County Jail inmate was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday, Dec. 14, and later pronounced dead, authorities said.
Linwood Jones, 62, was discovered unresponsive in his cell at the Allentown facility around 4:20 p.m., according to the Lehigh County Department of Corrections. Staff immediately declared a medical emergency and began CPR before EMS arrived and took over, Director of Corrections Janine Donate said.
Jones was transported to St. Luke's Hospital-Allentown by ambulance, where he was pronounced dead at 5:20 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, officials said.
Jones had been admi…
Allentown Man Kills Palmerton Mechanic In Whitehall Parking Lot Shooting: DA
An Allentown man is accused of fatally shooting a Palmerton man in a Whitehall Township parking lot during a dispute, authorities announced on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Hector Garcia Gomez, 46, was shot multiple times in the torso in the parking lot of Loco Hot Deals at 1155 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township, around 6:03 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, according to the Whitehall Township Police Department and Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
Garcia Gomez was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 7:43 p.m., authorities …
Two Men Charged With Attempted Murder In Eastern PA Shooting: DA
Two men have been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting a man in Allentown, District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announced on Thursday, Nov. 28.
Christopher Joel Colon, 32, and John Brace, 32, both of Allentown, are accused of shooting Jorge Alicea Jr. multiple times around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, on the 400 block of North Jordan Street, according to authorities.
Alicea Jr. was found with multiple gunshot wounds and rushed into surgery by Allentown EMS, police said.
Video evidence showed Alicea walking across a porch to a doub…