June 16, 2025
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
A husband and wife committed a fatal daytime robbery on Allentown’s Hamilton Street Bridge in 2020, and now both have been sentenced.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said Jose Santiago, 39, of Allentown, pleaded guilty in May to charges of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Murder of the Third Degree in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Christian Lopez-Rodriguez.
Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks, today sentenced Jose Santiago to 30 to 60 years in state prison, Holihan’s statement says.
Santiago’s wife Latasha Santiago was sentenced earlier to 10 to 20 years after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, a felony of the first degree, the D.A. said.
On Oct. 17, 2020, bullets were flying shortly after 3 p.m. on the bridge. According to Holihan, Jose Santiago told Lopez-Rodriguez and another person to “run their pockets.” The second victim, not identified, handed over his wallet. Then Lopez-Rodriguez punched Jose Santiago, who shot him, and the other victim pulled out a handgun and shot Santiago.
Jose Santiago fired back and fled in a getaway car driven by his wife, then sought treatment for his wound and gave up his weapon.
Here’s the statement from District Attorney Holihan:
June 16, 2025
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced a state prison sentence for a man charged in an
Allentown armed robbery and killing that occurred in 2020.
Jose Santiago, DOB 10/14/1985, of Allentown, pleaded guilty in May to charges of Conspiracy
to Commit Robbery and Murder of the Third Degree, both felonies of the first degree.
At a hearing today before Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks, Santiago was sentenced to serve 30-60 years in state prison.
Also charged in the case is Santiago’s wife, Latasha Santiago. She was sentenced earlier this month to serve 10 to 20 years in state prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, a felony of the first degree.
This case was filed after a re-evaluation of existing evidence in 2024 by Allentown Police
Detective Harold Bonser and Detective Timothy Salgado of the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and was 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 in a car with an open passenger door that was driven by Latasha Santiago.
The victim, 21-year-old Christian Lopez-Rodriguez, had a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He succumbed to the injury and died at an area hospital. His death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.
Officers on scene spoke with a victim who was walking with Lopez-Rodriguez at the time of the shooting. The second 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, showed a handgun and told them to “run their pockets.”
The second 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-Rodriguez. The second victim told police he pulled out his own handgun and shot Santiago, who fled. While fleeing, Santiago shot at the second 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 being treated, Santiago turned over his handgun.
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 