Hector Garcia 

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

All three defendants charged in a murder-for-hire plot that ended with a man gunned down in a Whitehall Township parking lot have now pleaded guilty and received state prison sentences, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Brenda Rodriguez Sentenced

Brenda Rodriguez, 52, of Palmerton, was sentenced to 2½ to 10 years in state prison for her role in the killing of her husband, Hector Garcia Gomez. She pleaded guilty in September to Conspiracy – Aggravated Assault, a felony of the first degree, and was sentenced by Judge Robert L. Steinberg.

Rodriguez is the final of three defendants to be sentenced in the Dec. 7, 2024 homicide, which authorities say was a premeditated setup involving her and her husband’s ex-girlfriend, Liz Marie Pacheco, and a third man, Christian Martinez-Ramos, the gunman.

The Plot: Surveillance Shows Coordinated Ambush

Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton, was shot several times in the abdomen just after 6 p.m. in the parking lot of Loco Hot Deals at 1155 MacArthur Road. He later died at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest. His death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.

According to investigators, Rodriguez arrived at the store with her husband. While Garcia Gomez went inside, Rodriguez remained in the car, appearing to be on her phone. She used her cell phone to relay his location to Liz Marie Pacheco, who then passed the information to Christian Martinez-Ramos, who drove to the parking lot minutes later.

As Garcia Gomez exited the store and attempted to get into his car, Martinez-Ramos pulled up behind him and opened fire from inside his vehicle. He fled the scene immediately afterward. Surveillance video showed Rodriguez stayed inside the car for over 22 seconds after the shooting before calmly exiting, adjusting her clothes, collecting items, and walking into the store.

Co-Conspirators Also Sentenced

Christian Martinez-Ramos, 36, of Allentown, pleaded guilty in October to Murder of the Third Degree and Conspiracy to Commit Murder of the Third Degree. He was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in state prison.

Liz Marie Pacheco, 38, of Allentown, also pleaded guilty in October to Murder of the Third Degree. She was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in state prison after prosecutors acknowledged her cooperation and lack of prior criminal history.

Investigation and Prosecution

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

Family Fundraiser:

Garcia Gomez’s son, Hector Yaddiel, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses following his father’s death. In the fundraiser, Yaddiel describes the heartbreak of losing his father, who was known to many as "Saby" or "Garcia the mechanic."

"I know many don’t realize that I am an only child, and now I am left alone because my father’s life was taken," Yaddiel wrote. "Through this platform, I ask for the help of each of you. I hope for your cooperation and will be eternally grateful."

The fundraiser is organized in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, and includes a heartfelt message quoting Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

Those wishing to support the family can donate through the GoFundMe page at Hector M. Garcia GoFundMe.