Ada Ortiz, a 44-year-old Hispanic woman described by her mother as a loving protector and the second of eight children, was at her home in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with her husband and three of their grandchildren on the evening of December 29, 2023. Neighbors knew the Ortiz family as “good people,” with Ada being a caring mother and grandmother.
Her husband, Leandro Ortiz, was in the kitchen preparing food for the children when he heard a knock at the front door.
Around 8:40 p.m., Ada answered the door and was met by a gunman who immediately opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun. Ada and her 1-year-old grandson, Sebastian Serrano, were shot multiple times in the living room. The assailant then reportedly aimed his weapon at a 7-year-old grandchild. Leandro heroically intervened, placing himself between the shooter and the child. He struggled with the gunman, pushing him out of the house, and was shot in the upper chest in the process. The gunman fired several more times through the door before fleeing on foot.
Police arrived at the home in the 100 block of Chestnut Street to find Ada and Sebastian deceased. The Lehigh County Coroner later ruled both of their deaths homicides caused by multiple gunshot wounds. Leandro Ortiz was hospitalized but was expected to survive his injuries. In the days that followed, police identified 43-year-old Gabriel Cartagena as the suspect and launched a public manhunt, warning that he was armed and dangerous. On the evening of January 4, 2024, Cartagena surrendered to authorities at the Lehigh County Jail.
Gabriel Cartagena was charged with two counts of criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, and illegal possession of a firearm. Throughout the investigation, authorities could not determine a motive for the attack, and Leandro Ortiz testified that he had never seen the man before that night. The case proceeded to a preliminary hearing in April 2024, where a judge determined there was enough evidence for Cartagena to face trial.
The trial began in Lehigh County Court in March 2026. Prosecutors presented evidence that included Cartagena’s DNA found on a cigarette butt left at the scene. The defense questioned how and when the DNA might have been deposited. After a five-day trial, the jury deliberated for several hours.
On March 20, 2026, the jury returned its verdict, finding Gabriel Cartagena not guilty on all charges, including homicide, aggravated assault, and burglary. Following the acquittal, the Lehigh County District Attorney expressed disappointment and offered sympathy to the Ortiz family. As of March 2026, the murders of Ada Ortiz and her grandson Sebastian Serrano remain unsolved.
