Inset: Santiago Payano-Sanchez (Lancaster County District Attorney's Office). Background: The apartment complex where Santiago Payano-Sanchez shot and killed his wife and her aunt in West Hempfield Township, Pa. (Google Maps).
A Pennsylvania man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for shooting and killing his estranged wife and a septuagenarian in-law during an argument over who would cook dinner.
On Friday, Santiago Payano-Sanchez, 64, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal homicide and one count each of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children and possessing an instrument of crime, according to a press release issued by the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
In turn, the defendant was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole by Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Conrad. The court also assessed an additional sentence of 20 to 40 years in state prison.
The lifetime – and then some – punishment comes in response to the deaths of 59-year-old Ana Gutierrez-Cedano, and her aunt, 74-year-old Dominga Cedano-Cedano, as well as the injuries suffered by the defendant's 33-year-old son, who survived being shot in the stomach.
The underlying incident occurred on the night of Oct. 5, 2025, at the family's home on Oak Hollow Drive in West Hempfield Township – a small municipality located some 90 miles due west of Philadelphia.
During the sentencing hearing, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo said the shooting unfolded after a "senseless" argument over who would make dinner escalated into a "heinous crime." At some point in the argument, Payano-Sanchez decided to end the dispute by getting a gun and shooting his wheelchair-bound wife.
Despite the outsized reaction, the violence continued as Payano-Sanchez shot his son – who tried to wrestle the gun away from his father. The since-condemned man then stalked upstairs and shot his wife's aunt to death. The younger victim still has bullet fragments in his body to this day, the prosecutor added.
When responding to the 911 call, West Hempfield Township Police were prepared to deal with a gunman who had barricaded himself inside the residence. But, ultimately, the defendant surrendered.
A 2-year-old and 7-year-old were also in the residence at the time but were unharmed, authorities noted. By the time first responders arrived, both women were pronounced dead at the scene of the crime.
The defendant himself addressed the court and said he was not able to explain why the argument escalated in the way it did. He went on to beg his family for forgiveness and wished them peace.
"I need to face what the law is imposing on me," he allocuted.
The prosecutor read aloud from a letter penned by the older woman's daughter. The grieving family member said her mother's death "has left a void that can never be filled" and that their family "will carry this trauma for the rest of our lives."
The younger woman's daughter also addressed the court through a letter read aloud. She said the incident resulted in "permanent loss, pain and grief," as well as PTSD and difficulty sleeping.
In addition to his lifetime in prison, Payano-Sanchez was ordered to pay more than $11,000 in restitution to the victims. The court also ruled he can never have contact with the victims' families ever again.
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