Two men sentenced in deadly reading double shooting

Two Men Sentenced in Deadly Reading Double Shooting

January 11, 2025

READING, PA — Two men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the fatal shootings of Jorge Mercado-Castro and Jamar Oliver in Reading, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced.

John Roman received a sentence of 40 to 80 years in state prison after pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree murder, conspiracy, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Kevin Irizzarry-DeMarco was sentenced to 27½ to 55 years in prison following his guilty plea to two counts of third-degree murder and conspiracy.

The charges stem from a June 18, 2023, incident where both men repeatedly fired at a vehicle on Penn Street, fatally striking Mercado-Castro and Oliver.

The investigation was led by City of Reading Police Detective Steve Valdez and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jacquelin Hamer.

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