— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Latasha Santiago, 36, of Allentown will spend 10 to 20 years in prison for her role in a 2020 shooting death on the Hamilton Street Bridge.
Bullets were flying at 3:25 p.m. that October afternoon.
Latasha Santiago pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to commit robbery, according to a statement from Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan. She was sentenced today.
Her husband, Jose Santiago, will be sentenced later this month for conspiracy to commit robbery and murder of the third degree in the robbery and fatal shooting of Christian Lopez-Rodriguez, 21.
Here’s the statement from District Attorney Holihan:
June 3, 2025
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced a woman was sentenced to a state prison sentence in an Allentown armed robbery and killing that occurred in 2020.
Latasha Santiago, DOB 9/23/1988, of Allentown, pleaded guilty in March to Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, a felony of the first degree.
Santiago was sentenced today to serve 10 to 20 years in state prison in a hearing before Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks.
Also charged in the case is Santiago’s husband, Jose Santiago, who pleaded guilty in May to charges of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Murder of the Third Degree, both felonies of the first degree.
Jose Santiago is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. June 16, 2025 before Judge Marks.
This case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Harold Bonser and Detective Timothy Salgado of the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and is prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Eric Dowdle and Senior Deputy District Attorney Gregory Englert.
On Oct. 17, 2020 at approximately 3:25 p.m., Allentown Police were called to the 100 block of East Hamilton Street at the bridge for a report of a man who was shot. A person who called 911 said after the shooting, the suspect jumped over the side of the bridge and got into a gold vehicle with an open passenger door that was driven by Latasha Santiago.
Police found the victim, 21-year-old Christian Lopez-Rodriguez with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Lopez-Rodriguez succumbed to his wounds and died at an area hospital.
Lopez-Rodriguez of Allentown died from the gunshot wound and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.
Officers on scene spoke to a victim who was walking with Lopez-Rodriguez at the time of the shooting. The victim’s name will not be released.
That victim told police they were walking eastbound across the Hamilton Street bridge when Jose Santiago approached them and showed a handgun and told them to “run their pockets.”
The victim said he handed Santiago his wallet containing $181.50 and during the robbery, Lopez-Rodriguez punched Santiago, who then opened fire and shot Lopez-Rodniguez. The victim told police he pulled out his own handgun and shot Santiago before Santiago fled. While fleeing, Santiago shot at the victim as well.
Several minutes after the shooting, Santiago walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was accompanied by Latasha Santiago. While at the hospital, Santiago turned over a handgun.
A witness observed the shooting and saw Santiago fire a gun and then jump over the bridge into the waiting vehicle parked under the bridge. That vehicle was driven by Latasha Santiago.
Video surveillance was also recovered from the Hamilton Street bridge that showed the robbery and killing.
Santiago’s gun and recovered ballistic evidence was analyzed by the Lehigh County Firearm and Tool Mark Laboratory and Detective Mark Garrett determined they were used to kill the victim.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 