In the early morning hours of a summer day in York, Pennsylvania, a young man's life was tragically cut short. Angel Hernandez, a 20-year-old Hispanic male, was with three other people on their way to a party on Philadelphia Street on July 16, 2017. Their path crossed with an acquaintance and another individual they did not know. The group extended an invitation to the party to both men.
The acquaintance declined, but the other man, later identified as Quayshawn Naylor-Wilson, decided to join them.
After some time at the party, at approximately 4 a.m., Hernandez and his friends decided to leave. As they were walking to their car, Naylor-Wilson called out to them. When they stopped, he brandished a handgun and opened fire on Hernandez from a very close range. As Hernandez and his friends attempted to flee, Naylor-Wilson pursued them, firing at least two more shots. Hernandez eventually collapsed, and he was rushed to York Hospital in a private vehicle. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to a gunshot wound to the back shortly after 6 a.m. His death was ruled a homicide.
The investigation into Angel Hernandez's murder led York City Police to 21-year-old Quayshawn Naylor-Wilson. Witnesses identified him, and he was taken into custody three days after the fatal shooting. Naylor-Wilson was charged with one count of criminal homicide and was held at the York County Prison without bail. The investigation revealed that Hernandez was the intended target of the shooting.
In June 2019, Quayshawn Naylor-Wilson pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for the shooting death of Angel Hernandez. Subsequently, in September of that year, he was sentenced to serve 20 to 40 years in state prison. At his sentencing, the judge gave him credit for the 777 days he had already been incarcerated. The maximum sentence was imposed due to the gravity of the crime and its impact on the victim's family and the community. The case brought attention to the issue of violence in the York area, prompting community discussions and vigils in memory of Angel Hernandez.
