Tina M. Grier, a 58-year-old White woman known to some as “Bean,” was remembered for her infectious smile and happy-go-lucky attitude. A 1984 graduate of Wilson High School, she had a deep love for animals and was a devoted fan of Dolly Parton. She most recently worked in housekeeping at Phoebe Berks in Wernersville, Pennsylvania.
On the night of August 3, 2023, Tina was asleep in the front bedroom of her first-floor apartment on South 10th Street in Reading.
Just before midnight, multiple shots were fired from the sidewalk outside. One of the bullets tore through the wall of her home and struck her in the face. She was rushed to Reading Hospital with a catastrophic, life-threatening injury.
Tina suffered a traumatic brain injury and never regained the ability to communicate with her loved ones. For nearly three months, she fought for her life in a rehabilitation center, but the damage was too severe. On October 31, 2023, Tina Grier died from complications of the gunshot wound.
Investigators recovered nine shell casings from the sidewalk outside the apartment. Through surveillance video, they identified two men in the area around the time of the shooting. An officer recognized one of the men as Jeremiah Santiago by his distinctive ponytail. The investigation also uncovered a recorded phone call Santiago made to an inmate at the Berks County Jail three days after the shooting, in which he admitted he had “hit an innocent bystander.” Police learned that Tina's husband had purchased crack cocaine from the other man shortly before the gunfire erupted.
On August 13, 2024, police arrested Jeremiah Santiago. The Berks County District Attorney’s Office charged him with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, aggravated assault, and several firearms-related offenses.
In June 2026, a Berks County jury convicted Santiago of third-degree murder and related charges for Tina Grier's death. The following month, in July 2026, a judge sentenced him to serve 23 1/2 to 47 years in state prison, followed by five years of probation.
