Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Whitehall Township Police Chief Michael Marks announced Oct. 13 a third person has pleaded guilty in a killing outside a store and was sentenced to decades in state prison.

Christian Martinez-Ramos, 36, of Allentown, pleaded guilty to murder of the third degree and conspiracy to commit murder of the third degree, both felonies.

As part of the plea deal, Judge Robert L. Steinberg sentenced Martinez-Ramos to 30 to 60 years in prison.

Two other defendants were also charged in the killing of Hector Garcia Gomez, who was shot several times shortly after 6 p.m. Dec. 7, 2024, in the parking lot of Loco Hot Deals, 1155 MacArthur Road, Whitehall.

Liz Marie Pacheco pleaded guilty earlier this month to murder of the third degree and was sentenced to serve five to 10 years in state prison.

Garcia Gomez’s wife, Brenda Rodriguez, pleaded guilty in September to a charge of conspiracy-aggravated assault. Rodriguez is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 5.

Officers found Garcia Gomez with multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen, and he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton, died of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County coroner’s office.

Video surveillance showed Garcia Gomez’s vehicle arrive in the parking lot, and while he was inside the store, Rodriguez stayed inside the car and appeared to be on her phone.

The investigation revealed Rodriguez was providing information via cellphone detailing her husband’s location to Pacheco. Pacheco then relayed the location to Christian Martinez-Ramos, who arrived minutes later to the parking lot.

The investigation showed as Garcia Gomez left the store and began to get inside his car, Martinez-Ramos drove his vehicle through the parking lot and parked behind Garcia Gomez. Gunshots were fired at Garcia Gomez by Martinez-Ramos from his vehicle, striking Garcia Gomez multiple times.

After Garcia Gomez was shot, video surveillance showed Rodriguez remained inside the car for more than 22 seconds. Rodriguez got out of the car, adjusted her clothing and hair and picked up several items before walking into the store.

This case was investigated by Whitehall Township Police Detective Lindsay Yetter, Lehigh County Homicide Task Force Detectives Timothy Salgado, James Bruchak and Amaury Almonte and is prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney James A. Augustine.