Teen accused of killing outside Bethlehem elementary school to stand trial, prosecutor says

AND Bethlehem teenager accused of murdering a 30-year-old man in a drug deal gone bad is now headed to trial in Northampton County District Court.

Gianni Santini, 17, of the 1770 block of Callone Avenue, was convicted of aggravated murder; Aggravated assault and two counts of robbery, as well as a firearm and weapon, authorities said. Santini turned himself in to police on Sept. 27 — a day after the incident — and was charged as an adult.

All charges against Santini were sent to district court on Nov. 13 after he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Santini will stand trial unless a plea is entered or the case is otherwise resolved. The case was denied bail after a preliminary arraignment in September before District Judge Vivian I. Zumas.

Santini remains a prisoner Northampton County Jail. Allentown attorney John Waldron, who previously represented Santini, said lehighvalleylive.com on Monday, he no longer appears in the case. Upper Saucon attorney Mark Heinrich, who is currently representing Santini, could not be reached for comment Monday morning.

The Northampton County District Attorney’s Office announced the pending trial Monday morning. Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta praised the quick work of Northampton County police in taking Santini into custody.

“The arrest came just hours after Bethlehem Police obtained an arrest warrant,” Baratta said in a news release.

Execution happened shortly before 11:30 p.m. on September 26 when Santini encountered Altaron Amir Robinson, 30, of Easton, and another 21-year-old Allentown woman in the 1900 block of Butztown Road, the probable cause affidavit states.

The incident happened on the street near Governor Wolf Elementary School. According to city police, the trio arranged to meet to exchange $320 in cash for marijuana near the school. The victim and Santini negotiated the deal through social media, text messages and Facetime and did not know each other before the meeting, court records state.

The female victim told investigators she watched Santini walk down the sidewalk on the north side of the elementary school, along the east side of the building. He crossed the grass to the street and approached her silver Mercedes-Benz, she said. She was parked outside the school with Robinson in the driver’s seat and she in the front passenger seat, court records state.

Robinson ordered Santini to get into the back passenger seat behind him, which he did, before pointing the gun at the woman’s head, court records state. Santini then allegedly pointed the gun at Robinson. The woman handed over two designer handbags and marijuana in bags, the city police said.

Santini got out of the car and started running, police said. According to police, Robinson chased Santini, knocked him to the ground and the pair fought before the female victim heard two gunshots.

Santini then fled and the woman called 911, court records state. Responding investigators recovered two spent 9mm shell casings and one round of ammunition, as well as a “curly cap” that Santini was seen on surveillance video wearing on his head and wearing glasses, authorities said.

Police issued an arrest warrant for Santini September 27. This happened after a relative of Santini said the teenager was a possible suspect. The Bethlehem Area School District closed Governor Wolf Elementary School that day while police investigated. Crime scene tape could be seen on the school grounds Thursday night.

Robinson was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Fountain Hill, where he was later pronounced dead by the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy determined Robinson died of a gunshot wound to the head, and Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio ruled it a homicide.

Subscribe now and support local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann can be contacted at [email protected].