Morales enters plea, sentenced to 15-30 years in state prison

WILKES-BARRE — A New York City man charged in the July 2020 fatal beating death of his roommate in West Hazleton, pleaded guilty on Monday to third degree murder and was immediately sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.

Giovanni Morales, Jr., 28, of Brooklyn, has been jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail on charges of criminal homicide, robbery and theft on allegations he killed Jonathan Hernandez on June 26, 2020.

Hernandez’s body was found inside an apartment on Winters Avenue, West Hazleton, by his work supervisor. An autopsy revealed Hernandez died from blunt force trauma.

Following a series of questions to Morales, Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. accepted the plea and then formally imposed an agreed-upon sentence of 15-30 years in prison. Sklarosky’s questions dealt with verifying that Morales understood the terms of the plea and that he agreed with the terms and that he signed/initialed all the documents. Morales confirmed he understood.

Assistant District Attorney Drew McLaughlin and former Assistant District Attorney and current County Coroner Jill Matthews were lead prosecutors on the case, assisted by Deputy District Attorney Daniel Zola. Attorney Demetrius Fannick represented Morales.

In court on Monday, McLaughlin said, “This was a senseless crime that never should have happened.”

During the investigation, it was alleged that Morales was the last known person to see Hernandez alive since they resided together in the Winters Avenue apartment.

Court records showed Morales came to Luzerne County on June 24, 2020, to stay with Hernandez, and they worked together for two days at various construction sites.

A work supervisor stopped at the Winters Avenue apartment and found Hernandez’s body, court records say.

Morales had fled the area and was believed to be in the New York City metropolitan area.

The Pennsylvania State Police listed Morales on their “Ten Most Wanted” list and was eventually arrested for robbing a bank in Hartford, Conn., in November 2023.

Morales gave a false name to authorities in Hartford, Conn., until his true identity was learned that resulted in an arrest warrant from Luzerne County charging him with criminal homicide.

Sanguedolce in the news release stated Morales pleaded guilty to armed robbery and was sentenced to 18 months in the Connecticut case However, the sentence in Connecticut was stayed while Morales was extradited to Luzerne County.

On Monday, Judge Sklarosky, after imposing the sentence, remanded Morales to the state Department of Corrections. Morales was given approximately one year of credit for time served.