ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A Bronx, New York, man on Monday joined the long list of people accused in a 2024 fatal shooting in Allentown’s Fountain Park.
Jose Batista-Gabin, 23, was arrested over the weekend in New York and is awaiting extradition to Lehigh County on charges of homicide, conspiracy and tampering with evidence, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Batista-Gabin is the sixth person to face charges connected to the killing of Angel Martinez-Velez, 25, on June 1, 2024.
Lehigh County District Attorney's office release
Batista-Gabin is the sixth person to face charges connected to the killing of Angel Martinez-Velez, 25, on June 1, 2024.
Grelvis Estevez Cabrera in January was sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury convicted him in October on charges including first-degree murder and homicide.
Carlos Landesta-Agramonte in November pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy and he was sentenced to 20-40 years in state prison.
Alfeni Romero-Taveras, Joel Garcia Paulino and Wilmer Esquiel Marte-Tavarez are awaiting trial.
Authorities allege Romero-Taveras shot at Martinez-Velez before fleeing in a vehicle.
City cameras recorded two cars — a blue Honda Accord and a white Infiniti traveling behind it — speeding away from the park and traveling together.
Authorities linked Landesta-Agramonte and Estevez-Cabrera to the Infiniti; police identified Garcia-Paulino as the man driving the Accord.
Footage allegedly showed Garcia-Paulino helping his co-defendants move items from the cars, and Marte-Tavarez also was present at the shooting, according to authorities.