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DA: Man to face 2nd homicide charge in Walmart lot shooting

WHITEHALL (AP) - Prosecutors say a suspect will face another homicide charge following the death of a second person following a shooting in the parking lot of a Walmart store in eastern Pennsylvania last month that killed a woman.

Jonathan Martinez, 22, of Allentown died at 1:30 a.m. Sunday at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest, the Lehigh County coroner’s office reported Sunday.

An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death, but the coroner’s office ruled the manner of death homicide.

District Attorney Jim Martin said Monday his office will upgrade an attempted homicide charge to homicide when 23-year-old defendant Edward Rosario-Jimenez appears for his preliminary hearing, which is currently scheduled April 23.

Rosario-Jimenez was earlier charged with killing Nicolette Law, 20, of Allentown, who was pronounced dead of gunshot wounds following the Feb. 26 shooting in the parking lot of the Whitehall Township store.

Rosario-Jimenez also faces aggravated assault and firearms charges in the shooting, which police said occurred when the defendant drove the mother of the male victim’s child to the lot to pick up her child. A handgun was found hidden in a snowbank nearby following the shooting, authorities said.

A message seeking comment was left Monday for the county public defender representing Rosario-Jimenez.