The trial of three defendants charged with a May 2023 triple murder on Lebanon’s north side could be pushed to next spring, depending on the outcome of pretrial legal motions.
The defendants, Ivan Claudio-Rosero, 29, Alex Jadriel-Torres, 24, and James Fernandez-Reyes, 17, each face first-degree murder and related charges as the result of the shooting deaths of 19-year-old Joshua Lugo-Perez, 9-year-old Sebastian Perez-Salome, and 8-year-old Jesus Perez-Salome.
The shootings took place on the back porch of an apartment building at 444 N. 5th St. in the city. Jesus Perez-Salome died on the back porch, Sebastian Perez-Salome died at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and Lugo-Perez died at Wellspan Good Samaritan Hospital.
A fourth victim, 33-year-old Luis Cancel, was in his home next door and was also shot, but survived, when a round penetrated a wall.
All three defendants remain in jail without bail.
At the time of the triple murders, Torres-Santos was on bail and under house arrest while charged with two earlier shootings.
According to documents filed in court, Torres-Santos admitted to police that he was present at the North 5th Street shootings, but claimed that Fernandez-Reyes and Claudio-Rosero were responsible for firing guns into the rear of the multi-unit dwelling.
However, Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf has notified the court that she intends to seek the death penalty against Torres-Santos, suggesting that she believes he was also a shooter.
Hess Graf has also notified the court and defendants that she intends to prosecute all three at a single consolidated trial.
Even though he was under 18 at the time of the killings, the district attorney has charged Fernandez-Reyes as an adult, an option allowed by Pennsylvania law. His public defender, Michael Light, responded by filing a motion asking to have Fernandez-Reyes tried in juvenile court.
A hearing on that motion was held last Thursday before Judge Charles Jones, who ordered the parties to file legal briefs by Thursday, Sept. 12. Jones said he intends to announce a decision on whether Fernandez-Reyes will be tried in adult or juvenile court on Monday afternoon, Sept. 16.
If Fernandez-Reyes remains charged in adult court, a consolidated trial before next spring seems unlikely, since court orders entered in April gave Torres-Santos and Claudio-Rosero until Jan. 31 to file pretrial motions.
If Jones sends Fernandez-Reyes’ case to juvenile court, he would be entitled to a hearing separate from Torres-Santos and Claudio-Rosero.
Read More:
- (May 2023) City police investigate triple homicide
- (May 2023) Triple homicide in Lebanon city: Victims were 8, 9, 19; 33-year-old hospitalized
- (June 2023) Two arrested in triple murder of children and teenager; third suspect at large
- (June 2023) Details surface on Torres-Santos’ pre-homicide detention while on house arrest
- (June 2023) Affidavits of probable cause reveal how suspects were arrested for triple murder
- (June 2023) DA will seek death penalty against Alex Torres-Santos for Lebanon triple murder
- (October 2023) Preliminary hearings conclude, trial set for suspects in Lebanon triple homicide
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