In the early hours of June 18, 2023, a violent encounter in Reading, Pennsylvania, claimed the life of 29-year-old Jamar Oliver. The incident unfolded around 1:15 a.m. on the 300 block of Penn Street, where Oliver and another man, Jorge Mercado-Castro, were inside a vehicle. Their car was ambushed by gunfire, resulting in a crash at the intersection of 5th and Penn streets. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Oliver outside the car with gunshot wounds to his head and arm.
Mercado-Castro was found inside the crashed vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head. Both men were critically injured in the attack.
The investigation into the double shooting led to the swift arrest of two suspects the very next day. Kevin Irizarry-DeMarco, 24, and John Roman, 31, were taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Initially, one of the victims succumbed to his injuries, leading to murder charges against the pair. Tragically, Jamar Oliver also died from his wounds, prompting investigators to add another murder charge for each of the accused.
The legal proceedings against Irizarry-DeMarco and Roman culminated in guilty pleas from both men. Kevin Irizzarry-DeMarco pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder and conspiracy. He was subsequently sentenced to a prison term of 27½ to 55 years. John Roman also entered a guilty plea to two counts of third-degree murder, in addition to charges of conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. His sentence was a more severe 40 to 80 years in state prison. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for the families of Jamar Oliver and Jorge Mercado-Castro, following the deadly ambush on Penn Street.
