Homicide suspect contemplates plea offer

WILKES-BARRE — Homicide suspect Natanihel Sanmartin has until Aug. 23 to accept a plea offer with Luzerne County prosecutors.

Sanmartin, 42, was charged by Wilkes-Barre police detectives with fatally shooting his girlfriend, Carla Pina, inside their shared residence at 42 Darling St. on Feb. 12, 2023.

During a status conference Thursday before Judge David W. Lupas, Sanmartin’s lawyers, Max C. Lubin and John B. Pike, said prosecutors offered a plea deal.

Assistant District Attorney Carly Levandoski who, along with Assistant District Attorney Anthony Cardone are prosecuting, set Aug. 23 as a deadline to accept or reject the plea offer.

If accepted, Lupas said he will scheduled a hearing to review the plea agreement on Aug. 28.

If Sanmartin opts not to accept a deal, his trial on charges of criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of recklessly endangering another person will begin Oct. 7.

Court records say Sanmartin went into a bedroom where a 3-year-old child was sleeping and fired a shot from a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

Pina went into the bedroom where she was shot in the face and killed, court records say.