ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Two more men charged in the charged in the shooting death of a man at an Allentown park were ordered Wednesday to face trial on homicide charges, officials said.
Alfeni Romero-Tavares, 23, and Joel Garcia-Paulino, who turns 23 on Thursday, Dec. 4, both of Allentown, had preliminary hearings on felony counts of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence.
In all, five people have been charged in the June 1, 2024, killing of Angel Martinez-Velez at Fountain Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.Lehigh County District Attorney's office
District Judge Ronald Manescu ruled there was enough evidence to order both men to face Lehigh County Court action on all counts, District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announced.
Both Romero-Tavares and Garcia-Paulino remain in Lehigh County Jail without bail.
Five people have been charged in the June 1, 2024, killing of Angel Martinez-Velez at Fountain Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Martinez-Velez, 25, of Allentown, died from multiple gunshot wounds and the Lehigh County coroner ruled his death a homicide.
Witnesses described two gunmen, both wearing masks and distinctive clothing, who after the incident fled in a
dark-colored Honda Accord.
Directly behind the Honda was a white Infiniti, also traveling from Fountain Park and then eastbound on Union Street.
Three others were charged
Immediately after the shooting and 911 calls, Allentown city cameras recorded those two vehicles fleeing Fountain Park and appearing to travel together.
Police tracked the vehicles through the city on the camera system traveling together at a high speed.
By reviewing those cameras, investigators were able to identify the license plate of the Honda.
A witness whose name officials said they would not release told investigators Romero-Tavares was one of the armed men who shot and killed the victim.Lehigh County District Attorney's office
Investigators also were able to identify the owner of the white Infinity as Carlos Nathaniel Landesta Agramonte, who lived at a home on East Court Street in Allentown.
Less than two hours after the shooting, both vehicles were seen near the East Court Street home and were seized with a search warrant.
Inside the vehicles, police found clothing and masks that matched the description given by witnesses to the shooting.
A witness whose name officials said they would not release told investigators Romero-Tavares was one of the armed men
who shot and killed the victim.
Romero-Tavares’ DNA was also found on some of the clothing recovered after the shooting.
Also charged are Wilmer Esquiel Martinez-Tavarez, who is awaiting trial.
Landesta Agramonte pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and related charges and was sentenced to 20-40 years in prison.
Grelvis Estevez Cabrera was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder and related charges. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
