In the early morning hours of June 15, 2020, a young Hispanic male named Felipe L. Morales, aged 20, was fatally shot in Reading, Pennsylvania. The events that led to his death began with an altercation inside the Santa Rita Grocery Store at 11th and Cotton streets. Inside the store, Morales had a confrontation with 23-year-old Joshua J. Figueroa.
The conflict spilled outside, where Figueroa followed Morales and another person. At this point, Figueroa’s accomplice, Giovanni Leandry-Morales, handed him a gun. As Morales attempted to flee, Figueroa shot him in the back. An SUV was also reported to have veered onto the sidewalk in front of Morales and his companion as they tried to get away. First responders found Morales with a gunshot wound, and he was transported to Reading Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.
Following an investigation that utilized security camera footage and witness interviews, authorities identified the two men involved. Three days after the shooting, Joshua J. Figueroa was apprehended in Vineland, New Jersey. Giovanni Leandry-Morales was also taken into custody. Both men were charged with third-degree murder for their roles in the death of Felipe L. Morales.
The legal proceedings concluded with convictions for both men. Joshua J. Figueroa, the shooter, received a sentence of 20 to 40 years in state prison. His accomplice, Giovanni Leandry-Morales, who provided the weapon and drove the getaway vehicle, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. The case brought a measure of justice for the family of Felipe L. Morales and stood as a significant investigation for law enforcement in the Reading community.
