PHILADELPHIA (November 24, 2025)— Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the DAO’s Homicide & Non-Fatal Shootings Unit announced on Monday the conviction of two defendants for their roles in the October 2023 shooting homicide of Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez at the Philadelphia International Airport.
Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez (DOB: 1/12/2005) and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez (DOB: 9/10/2002) were found guilty of the following offenses:
Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez (DOB: 1/12/2005):
- Murder
- Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer
- Aggravated Assault (F1)
- Third Degree Murder of Jesús Hernán Madera Durán
- Criminal Use of Communication Facility (F3)
- Theft by Unlawful Taking (F2)
- VUFA 6106 (F3)
- Possession of Instrument of Crime (M1)
- Criminal Conspiracy (F1)
- Robbery (F1)
Hendrick Peña-Fernandez (DOB: 9/10/2002)
- Murder of the Second Degree
- Criminal Conspiracy (F1)
- Robbery (F1)
- Conspiracy to Commit Theft (F3)
- Theft (F3)
- Possession of Instrument of Crime (M1)
On the evening of Thursday, October 12, 2023, Philadelphia police officers Richard Mendez and Raúl Ortíz arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport parking garage to begin their shifts. Officer Mendez and Ortiz confronted a group of four young males while they were attempting to steal a Dodge Charger in the parking garage. In the course of the encounter, Martinez-Fernandez fatally shot Officer Mendez in the torso four times. Responding officers transported Officer Mendez to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. Officer Ortiz was struck in the arm and survived his injuries.
One of the suspects in the murder, 18-year-old Jesús Hernán Madera Durán of Camden, New Jersey, was recklessly shot by Martinez-Fernandez during the incident. After the encounter, Martinez-Fernandez and Pena-Fernandez put their wounded co-conspirator, Durán, into a getaway vehicle and dropped him off at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Durán was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after. The remaining co-conspirators drove to an abandoned warehouse in Cranberry, New Jersey, and set fire to the getaway vehicle.
Assistant District Attorneys Cydney Pope and Christian Wynne used valuable forensic evidence, including cell tower data, surveillance footage from various locations in Philadelphia and New Jersey, recovered DNA, and eye witnesses, to prosecute this case.
On Monday, November 24th, 2025, the Honorable Judge Giovanni Campbell sentenced defendant Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus 25 to 50 consecutive years, and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole.
Officer Mendez was a husband, father of two, and a 22-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police department.
“Thanks to Assistant District Attorneys Cydney Pope and Christian Wynne for securing justice in this case and holding these defendants accountable for the horrific shooting death of Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner. “It is also worth noting that the compelling forensic evidence gathered during the Philadelphia Police Department’s excellent investigation and utilized by ADAs Pope and Wynne helped convince the jury that defendants Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez were culpable in the murder of Officer Mendez. And finally, we thank the jury for delivering a just and fair verdict that will hopefully bring closure for the Mendez family and his police colleagues.”
“I want to commend the family of Officer Mendez for their poise and grace during this extremely difficult time,” said Assistant District Attorney Pope. “I also thank the Philadelphia Police Department for their outstanding investigation that helped ADA Wynne and myself hold these defendants accountable for their terrible crimes.”
“Nothing will return my husband back to us, but today justice was served,” said Alexandra Carerro, Officer Mendez’s wife. “My husband was an amazing human being, and did not deserve to lose his life the way he did.”
“Today was an indication that this work matters,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. “This jury saw that [officers] lives matter. We know the pain never goes away. We heard that in the court room today. We will continue to honor Officer Mendez and his legacy by doing the work.”
“Today is a good day,” said Philadelphia Councilmember Quetcy Lozada. “Today is the beginning of the process of healing. [Officer Mendez] loved his family, this work, and the community he served. He did it with a lot of pride. I hope it is the beginning of healing for all of us.”