HARRISBURG, PA — A New York man was sentenced Thursday to 20 to 40 years in state prison for the 2021 killing of 41-year-old Helena Johnson, who was found dead in a Hazle Township motel room, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.
Joseph Sarmiento, 40, was convicted in February of third-degree murder after a judge found him guilty but mentally ill. On Thursday, a Luzerne County judge handed down the maximum sentence permitted for the charge.
Johnson, of Massachusetts, was discovered deceased on June 6, 2021, in a room at the Red Carpet Inn on North Church Street. Authorities determined she had been beaten to death, with a forensic pathologist testifying that she suffered at least 10 blows and signs of strangulation.
Sarmiento had called 911 early on June 5, claiming he had found Johnson unresponsive in the bathtub. However, surveillance footage showed the two entering the motel room at 6:59 a.m. on June 4. Sarmiento was seen leaving alone around 9:00 a.m. and did not return for 15 hours — after which he contacted emergency services.
“This defendant’s attempts to avoid accountability for the brutal killing of Miss Johnson ended today with this decades-long prison sentence,” Attorney General Sunday said.
Sister’s courtroom letter recalls victim’s laughter and joy
During Thursday’s sentencing, several victim impact statements were read in court, including a letter from Johnson’s sister, Karen. “I remember her laugh, smile and making jokes. I’ll never get back the times we went on vacation, dinner, concerts and how much fun we had,” she wrote.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo. State police led the investigation after initially responding to the motel scene in June 2021.
Sarmiento, who remained in custody throughout the trial, was not charged with premeditated murder, but prosecutors pursued a conviction based on the evidence of sustained assault and the absence of any other suspects.
The judge cited the brutality of the crime and the overwhelming evidence in imposing the maximum allowable term.
