On February 12, 2023, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 38-year-old Carla Pina was fatally shot by her boyfriend, 42-year-old Natanihel Sanmartin, inside their shared residence on Darling Street. The incident occurred around 5:45 a.m. after Pina returned home from an evening out at a casino with friends. Upon her arrival, Sanmartin, who had been consuming alcohol, became irrational and fired a shot into a bedroom where a 3-year-old child was sleeping.
When Pina entered the bedroom to investigate, Sanmartin shot her in the head, resulting in her death.
Sanmartin was immediately taken into custody by Wilkes-Barre police and charged with criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of a child, and recklessly endangering another person. He was held without bail pending trial.
In the months following the incident, Sanmartin was offered a plea deal by Luzerne County prosecutors, which he rejected against the advice of his court-appointed attorneys. The plea offer involved a guilty plea to third-degree murder with a sentence of 20 to 40 years in state prison. By rejecting the deal, Sanmartin chose to proceed to trial, facing the possibility of a life sentence if convicted of first-degree murder.
The trial commenced in October 2024, during which the prosecution argued that Sanmartin intentionally killed Pina, while the defense claimed the shooting was accidental. After deliberating for approximately two and a half hours, the jury convicted Sanmartin of third-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, and two counts of reckless endangerment. He was acquitted of the most serious charge, first-degree murder, which carries a life sentence. Sanmartin faces up to 40 years in state prison for the third-degree murder conviction, with sentencing scheduled for December 17, 2024.
In the aftermath of Pina's tragic death, a GoFundMe campaign was established to support her four children, who are now left to navigate life without their mother. The funds raised are intended to cover funeral expenses and provide financial assistance for the children's future needs.
