Man sought in Berks homicide

By Shawn A. Hessinger
Managing Editor Berks-Mont Newspapers

A Lebanon County man is still on the loose after police allege he strangled a mother of six and the sister of a former girlfriend.

Police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of Julio Angel Lastra, 32, charging him with first, second, and third degree murder, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal tresspass in the death of Marisol Rivera, 45, 585 Frystown Rd., Bethel Township.

According to a police affidavit filed with District Justice Andrea Book, Straustown, PA, the victim was heard saying in Spanish “Who is this?” as she was taken from her bed and strangled by Lastra late Sept. 24 or early Sept 25.

Lastra had been in a longterm relationship with Rivera’s sister Mari Reyes since 2001, but had a Protection from Abuse Order filed against him Sept. 22 after Reyes claimed Lastra had tried to kill her on two occasions.

The affadavit states the crime was witnessed by Rivera’s daughter Gianna, 8, who was sleeping with her mother at the time.

Police say Lastra’s sister testified she drove him to a location very close to Rivera’s residence on Frystown Rd. late Sept. 23, but did not know at the time of the significance of the location.

Police say another witness, Sylma Perez, told police she received a phone call from a distraught Gianna Rivera at 1 p.m. Sept. 25, who told her about the attack.

Gianna Rivera later told police she had been asleep in her mother’s bed when she heard Rivera scream and awoke to see a man choking her mother and pulling her to the floor.