LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster man will serve life in prison plus an additional 67 years for his role in a deadly shooting at an East Lampeter Township motor lodge in March 2020, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Joshua Luciano was found guilty of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy to commit homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, delivery of a controlled substance and carrying a firearm without a license by a Lancaster County jury on Dec. 15, 2022.
The jury determined Luciano shot and killed Alexander Rivera and shot and injured another person during an incident at the 1722 Motor Lodge on March 19, 2020.
The trial of a second suspect in the case, Tyler Gonzalez-Inthiphan, is pending, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Lucianio, of the 200 block of South Ann St., was also found guilty of a severed charge of persons not to possess a firearm by Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Wright, who ordered Luciano's sentence at a hearing on Tuesday.
Wright had declared a mistrial in November 2022 after the jury deadlocked. Luciano was convicted by a jury on retrial.
Luciano's defense counsel argued for punishment less than the mandatory life sentence, stating his client was being judged and sentenced regarding one of the worst days of his life, according to the DA's Office.
Luciano said “No your honor” when asked by Judge Wright if he had anything to say.
“Indeed, this may have been Luciano’s worst day,” First Assistant District Attorney Todd Brown, who prosecuted the case, countered at the hearing. “But it was without a doubt Mr. Rivera and his mother’s worst day.”
Brown detailed Luciano’s history of serious criminal conduct and that he committed the murder while he was on parole and illegally possessing a firearm without a license.
“This was not in the midst of a heated exchange,” Brown said. “The defendant felt disrespected and despite having time and distance still decided to avenge that perceived disrespect. He’s showed no regard for the law or human life.”
Brown argued for consecutive sentences, which Judge Wright imposed on seven of the eight charges.
“By my calculation, you’ve spent 87% of your time since turning 18 in jail,” Judge Wright said to the defendant, after reading through his criminal history and before ordering sentence.
Brown presented evidence and testimony during trial that Luciano shot Rivera in the head and another victim in the stomach during a confrontation over a drug sale at the East Lampeter Township motor lodge.
According to testimony at trial, Luciano sold the victim and his friends marijuana. Luciano returned to the motel parking lot after a dispute arose over the marijuana sale and fired a .40 caliber handgun at the group while driving a blue Acura MDX.
Police interviews of witnesses and video footage showing the shooting indicated the shots came from both the driver and front passenger windows of the blue Acura.
Further interviews revealed Luciano was staying in the 200 block of East Liberty Street, where police located him and recovered the firearms used in the shooting.
The investigation revealed that Luciano’s DNA was on the firearm that killed Rivera, as well as the steering wheel of the Acura, which was recovered in the 1000 block of North Lime Street.
East Lampeter Township Police Detective Christopher Jones filed charges, testified, and attended the entirety of trial. First Deputy District Attorney Cody Wade assisted in the prosecution.
