Defendant in Hazleton fatal shooting waives hearing

Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.

WILKES-BARRE — A native from Dominican Republic charged in a shooting that turned deadly in Hazleton waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday.

Jenndry Samuel Rodriguez Contreras, 22, address listed as Pine Street, Freeland, waived two counts each of third-degree murder and aggravated assault and a single count of criminal conspiracy to commit criminal homicide.

Contreras’ hearing was held before District Judge James M. Dixon of Hazle Township at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

Hazleton City police charged Contreras with shooting Felix Dini, 22, and Rochell Angel Reyes-Cruz, 23, in the rear of 199 S. Wyoming St. on Oct. 7, 2022, according to court records.

Dini and Reyes-Cruz each suffered four gunshot wounds. Dini died Oct. 10, 2022, while Reyes-Cruz survived.

Investigators only knew the shooter as “Jendry,” until a confidential witness provided Contreras’ full name as the gunman in November 2023, court records say.

Court records say Contreras fled his native Dominican Republic after being accused of an attempted homicide and illegally crossed into the United States in Texas in early 2022, about seven months before Dini and Reyes-Cruz were shot.

After the Hazleton shooting in October 2022, Contreras fled to New York City and returned to Dominican Republic where he was taken into custody by the National Police in that country.

Court records allege Dini and Reyes-Cruz were shot during a marijuana sale.

Contreras was extradited to Luzerne County in February.

As Hazleton police continued to investigate Contreras, two people charged for their alleged role in the fatal shooting were acquitted by a Luzerne County jury following a trial before Judge David W. Lupas in August 2023.