ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A woman who authorities said helped conspire to kill a man outside a Whitehall Township store nearly a year ago has been sentenced to state prison.
Brenda Rodriguez, 52, of Palmerton, is the final of three defendants to be sentenced in the Dec. 7, 2024, shooting death of Hector Garcia Gomez in the parking lot of Loco Hot Deals, 1155 MacArthur Road.
Brenda Rodriguez, the wife of Garcia Gomez, was sentenced Tuesday by Lehigh County Judge Robert L. Steinberg to 2 ½ to 10 years in state prison.Release from Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan
Rodriguez was the wife of Garcia Gomez. She was sentenced Tuesday by Lehigh County Judge Robert L. Steinberg to 2 ½ to 10 years in state prison, according to a release from Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
She pleaded guilty in September to a felony charge of conspiracy-aggravated assault.
Last month, Christian Martinez-Ramos, 36, of Allentown, who authorities said was the gunman, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit third-degree murder.
Martinez-Ramos was sentenced to serve 30-60 years in state prison.
Also last month, Liz Marie Pacheco pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and was sentenced to serve five to 10 years in state prison.
Details of the slaying
Police said they found Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton, with multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen and he later died from his injuries.
The Lehigh County Coroner's Office ruled the death a homicide.
Authorities said video surveillance showed Garcia Gomez’s vehicle arrive in the parking lot while he was inside the store.
Rodriguez stayed inside the car and appeared to be on her phone.
The investigation revealed that Rodriguez was providing information via cellphone detailing her husband’s location to Pacheco.
Pacheco then relayed the location to Martinez-Ramos, who arrived minutes later to the parking lot and parked directly behind the victim’s car.
As the victim left the store and began to get inside his car, Martinez-Ramos opened fire from his vehicle and fled the area.
This case was investigated by Whitehall Township Police and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force detectives and prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney James A. Augustine.
