Pennsylvania Man Gets 23 Years to Life for Killing Florida Man Outside Bethpage Hotel

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a 35-year-old Florida man outside a Bethpage hotel following an earlier dispute at a nearby construction site, Nassau County prosecutors said.

Sgroilin Santana, 23, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty Sept. 15 to second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said.

Santana admitted killing Jorge Vazquez, 35, of Tampa, Florida, in the parking lot of the Extended Stay America on Oyster Bay Road on April 2, 2025.

Prosecutors said Vazquez was staying at the hotel while working on a nearby construction project. Earlier that day, he had been involved in a physical altercation with Santana’s girlfriend’s father, Alexander Garcia, 40, of Reading, Pennsylvania, who worked with Vazquez at the construction site.

Santana was driven from Pennsylvania to the hotel and planned to retaliate against Vazquez over the earlier altercation, prosecutors said. At about 9:30 p.m., Santana entered the hotel parking lot and shot Vazquez multiple times in the torso and abdomen.

Santana also fired at another person, who was not injured, before fleeing the state with Garcia, according to prosecutors.

Nassau County police received a 911 call about 10 minutes later. Officers found Vazquez lying on the sidewalk near the hotel entrance with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and other evidence during the investigation. Santana was tracked to Tamaqua and taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police on April 30, 2025. He was extradited to Nassau County on May 15.

“Sgroilin Santana used cold-blooded violence to settle an argument that did not even involve him and stole the life of beloved husband and father Jorge Vazquez,” Donnelly said.

Garcia, whose earlier confrontation with Vazquez allegedly prompted the retaliation, was arrested in Reading on May 14, 2025, and later extradited to Nassau County. He faces charges of second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Garcia’s daughter, Jaslynn Garcia, who was Santana’s girlfriend at the time of the shooting, was also arrested in Pennsylvania in connection with the killing. According to New York State court records, she has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Both Garcias are awaiting trial. Jaslynn Garcia’s next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 27. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.