19-year-old murder suspect jailed in Berks following extradition from NYC

A 19-year-old man who was one of three suspects charged in the killing of a 19-year-old man in southeast Reading last spring is in Berks County Prison following his extradition from New York City.

Luis Santos-Cruz, no permanent address, was committed to the prison without bail to await a hearing following arraignment Wednesday night before District Judge Tonya A. Butler in Reading Central Court.

Reading police charged him in June with first- and third-degree murder, conspiracy and firearms offenses in the April 1 shooting of Christian Disla in the 1200 block of Muhlenberg Street.

Santos-Cruz was captured in New York City by federal marshals in October and detained pending extradition.

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His brother, Jonielle Cruz, 18, was arrested about a month after the shooting. He was 17 at the time of the shooting, but the Berks County district attorney’s office approved charging him as an adult.

Jonielle Cruz was held for court on first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy charges following a preliminary hearing Aug. 21 and returned to jail without bail to await action in county court.

A third suspect, Gavin E. Will, 17, of the 1100 block of Perkiomen Avenue, was arrested in November and charged as an adult with the same offenses. He’s also in the county jail without bail after being held for court on the charges following a Jan. 3 preliminary hearing.

Disla was killed by a single gunshot wound to his back, according to police. He was found behind a home in the 1300 block of Muhlenberg Street after police were called to the area for reports of shots fired.

A second man was shot but survived his wounds.

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According to investigators:

The second victim, whose name was withheld, said he had been at a corner store at Cotton and Rehr streets shortly before the shooting. He was confronted by three men — who he identified as Luis Santos-Cruz and Jonielle Cruz, and a third male — over a previous incident.

The victim said the three males attacked him and left.

The victim said he went inside the store after the assault and met with Disla and another person. Disla and the other victim left the store and got into the second victim’s car.

While sitting in the parked car in the 1300 block of Muhlenberg Street they heard gunshots. Disla got out of the car and ran, while the second victim drove off.

Security videos from the area show Santos-Cruz walking into the street in the 1400 block of Muhlenberg Street and firing a handgun toward the 1300 block, where Disla and the second victim were parked.

The footage also shows Cruz following Santos-Cruz into the street, talking on his cellphone. Audio from one of the videos captured Cruz saying, “Shoot ‘em,” right before the gunfire erupted.