Trial set for June 2023 for accused killer Jose Colon

Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Dec. 9—SUNBURY — The trial for accused killer Jose Colon is scheduled for June 2023 in Northumberland County Court.

On Friday, President Judge Charles Saylor set the jury selection for June 20 with the trial to follow through that week and the week of June 26. Colon, 46, of Shamokin, is charged with 65 criminal counts, including homicide, from two cases related to the fatal shooting of Kasandra Ortiz, 23, on Feb. 26, 2018.

{span}It's been nearly five years and 14 continuances since that day.{/span}

District Attorney Tony Matulewicz and defense attorney Richard J. Fuschino Jr., of Philadelphia, both had various reasons for not having the trial sooner. Matulewicz and his staff are at a conference in February and Fuschino said the first available two-week period wasn't until May due to other legal cases.

Saylor said he wanted to be sure that all matters were resolved before June. He said he didn't want a continuance request two months before the trial.

Matulewicz said he wanted to meet with Fuschino in person to go over evidence and discovery. He wanted to be sure that the defense attorney had what he needed and any digital evidence was accessible.

"In a case like this, I want to make sure he has everything we have," said Matulewicz.

Colon, who appeared via videoconference, allegedly confessed in 2018 to striking Ortiz in the head and face outside her apartment at 409 N. Rock St., Shamokin, and continuing the assault after she was knocked to the ground. Colon told police he dragged the bloodied woman to a nearby dirt lot at Rock and Spurzheim streets where he shot her once and left her body before fleeing the scene, according to court documents.

Police responded to the scene at 8:25 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2018, on a report of gunshots. Officers found Ortiz dead, lying amidst a sport-utility vehicle, a dumpster and a storage container.

Police said Colon confronted Ortiz as he hunted a man who allegedly burned his friends in a drug transaction, paying $200 in counterfeit bills for the synthetic drug, "spice."

A standoff began after police officers tracked Colon to his top-floor apartment at about 11 p.m. It continued overnight into Feb. 27, ending about 5:30 a.m. when he was struck by a bullet from a state police emergency response team member in an exchange of gunfire. He allegedly fired 11 shots during the seven-hour standoff.

Colon is charged with criminal homicide and 11 counts of attempted homicide of law enforcement officers, as well as 25 felony charges of aggravated assault, illegally possessing a firearm and assault of a law enforcement officer. The remaining charges are misdemeanor counts.

He is being held as an inmate without bail due to the nature of the charges. Matulewicz is seeking the death penalty.