Two men found guilty in 2023 airport shooting that killed Philly police officer Richard Mendez

Two men have been convicted in connection with a deadly shooting at Philadelphia International Airport that left a 50-year-old police officer dead and another injured. Yobrani Martinez-Fernandez, 20, was found guilty of first-degree murder, while his accomplice Hendrick Pena-Fernandez, 23, was convicted of second-degree murder.

The pair were involved in an attempted car theft on October 12 when they shot Mendez and his partner Raul Ortiz, 62. The officers had responded to reports of a break-in at an airport garage when the suspects opened fire, striking Mendez multiple times before hitting Ortiz in the arm. Jesus Herman Madera-Duran, 18, was critically injured in the crossfire and later dropped off at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by the suspects.

The getaway vehicle, which had been stolen just days earlier, was abandoned and set on fire after being pursued by authorities. Martinez-Fernandez and Pena-Fernandez were arrested several days later and have since been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors used a range of forensic evidence, including cell tower data, surveillance footage, DNA analysis, and eyewitness testimony, to build their case against the two men. The Philadelphia District Attorney's office has said that its reliance on this evidence was key to securing the convictions.

The victim, Richard Mendez, was a 22-year veteran of the police department and had two children. His family has been praised for their resilience in the face of tragedy. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel described the verdict as "justice served" and expressed his condolences to Mendez's family.

Man, this whole thing is just heartbreaking . Can you imagine being a cop for 22 years, serving your community, and then getting taken out like that? It's senseless violence, you know? These young guys, Yobrani and Hendrick, they're still so young... 20 and 23... what were they thinking?! Trying to steal a car from an airport garage? Come on!

But at the same time, I can see why the prosecution would want to go for first-degree murder. That's a serious crime, man. And it sounds like they had some solid evidence to back it up - cell tower data, surveillance footage, DNA analysis... that stuff is hard to fake.

I just wish there was another way to deal with this kind of situation. I mean, we're always talking about rehabilitation and second chances... but sometimes you gotta take the law into your own hands. This case definitely doesn't make me feel like we're doing enough to prevent gun violence in our communities.

this whole thing is just so senseless... i mean, these young guys go around thinking they can just do whatever they want and no one will stop them? it's crazy how forensic evidence was able to crack their case - like, who would've thought that cell tower data and DNA analysis would be the key to bringing them down? but at the same time, i feel bad for Mendez's family... 50 years of service is no joke, you know? it's just one of those things where you think about all the people he helped and protected over the years, and then... it hits you. anyway, justice may have been served, but at what cost?

Man, this is so sad ... A 50-yr-old cop who just wants to do his job gets gunned down at the airport. It's like they didn't even care that he was a human being. I keep thinking about what would've happened if Mendez wasn't a police officer, maybe things would've played out differently . The investigation was thorough and it shows how much effort went into catching these guys. Still can't believe the ages of these young folks involved... 20 & 23?! Life without parole is harsh, but I guess they gotta pay for their actions .

omg i cant even imagine what would happen if my little bro was a cop 2 yrs ago i went thru a similar thing with my car battery dying in the middle of nowhere, was so scared anyway, back to this news... i dont think life in prison without parole is that harsh lol 20 & 23 can still chill and eat pizza together but like, i guess its better than death or somethin

man that's just heartbreaking ... I mean, can you even imagine being a cop, serving your community like that guy Richard Mendez did for 22 years? it's crazy how some people think they're above the law . and the fact that those two guys were involved in an attempted car theft before this whole thing went down just shows how reckless and entitled they were . I'm glad justice was served and the family can finally start healing . it's a reminder of how important our law enforcement is to keeping us safe, and we should be forever grateful for people like Officer Mendez who put their lives on the line every day .

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela This case is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of reckless actions and senseless violence. It's heartbreaking to think about the lives lost, including that of an innocent police officer who just wanted to serve his community. The resilience of Richard Mendez' family is truly inspiring, and it's comforting to know that justice has been served .

OMG this is just so sad ! A 50-year-old cop dead and another guy hurt how could these two be so reckless? I mean, we're already at like a million percent aware of the risks when you're dealing with guns, but to shoot down a cop in cold blood? It's just crazy . And the fact that one of them is only 20 and the other 23... like what were they thinking? Not that I condone car theft or violence at all, but come on guys! You can't just go around shooting people willy-nilly. This is just so frustrating I'm glad justice was served though, the DA's office did a great job and it's good to see the family getting some closure

Ugh, another case where the airport security is totally not doing its job . I mean, who lets two dudes with guns walk around freely in an airport parking garage? It's just basic common sense, right? And then they have to respond with gunfire and... well, you know . Can't the police just stay calm and handle the situation like adults?

And what's up with the getaway vehicle being abandoned in a public place? That's just asking for trouble. And of course, they have to chase the guys down with the cops . It's like, can't we all just get along and not need police chases anymore?

And don't even get me started on the fact that these two dudes were able to evade capture for so long . I mean, I know they're young and stupid (not a great combo) but c'mon, can't they do better than this?

Man, this is just so sad ... I mean, a 50-year-old cop dead and another injured? It's like, what were these guys thinking?! They could've gone to jail for years or even decades, but they chose to take someone's life over the cops trying to stop them from committing a crime. Life in prison without parole is way too easy compared to what their victims are going through .

And can we talk about how this case was solved? Like, I know law enforcement has been working hard on new tech and tools, but using cell tower data, surveillance footage, DNA analysis, and eyewitness testimony all at once? That's some next-level detective work . It just goes to show that technology is helping us solve crimes more efficiently.

I'm also thinking about how this case is going to affect the police department and its officers . Losing someone like Mendez is never easy, but at least justice has been served . I hope his family finds some closure soon .

just saw this news about the airport shooting , it's crazy how 2 young guys could be so reckless and violent, like what was going through their minds?

i feel bad for the officer who got shot, he must've been a hero to serve in the police department for 22 years . his family deserves our condolences too, it's not easy dealing with this kind of tragedy .

i think the fact that they used forensic evidence to catch these guys is really important . cell tower data and DNA analysis can be super helpful in solving crimes.

anyway, i just hope that this verdict brings some closure for Mendez's family and that they can start to heal . life is precious, we have to appreciate it while it lasts

omg what kinda world we livin in where 2 young guys can just go around shootin ppl randomly?? I'm all for justice and accountability, but this is straight up senseless the fact that they had a getaway car with a stolen license plate and were all paranoid enough to set it on fire like they're tryna leave no evidence behind... meanwhile the officer who was shot is still thinkin about his family and what he could've done differently my heart goes out to Mendez's fam, they must be goin through hell right now RIP officer Mendez

the crime scene diagram
```
+---------------+
| Suspects |
| Yobrani, |
| Hendrick |
+---------------+
|
|
v
+---------------+
| Shooting |
| at airport |
| garage |
+---------------+
|
|
v
+---------------+
| Victim Mendez|
| Richard |
| (22 yrs) |
+---------------+
```

i think this whole thing is just so sad . two young men, with their whole lives ahead of them, make some reckless decisions that end up taking someone's life. it's just senseless violence . i'm glad the police were able to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice . but what really gets me is how this could have been prevented if only they had made better choices .

anyway, kudos to the victims' family for staying strong . and to the police department, thanks for keeping our communities safe . let's just hope there are no more senseless tragedies like this in the future

Ugh, I'm so done with these forums! Can't we just have a decent discussion without all this drama? I mean, what's up with the comments section here anyway? It's like everyone's always trying to stir up trouble or get attention. Anyway, back to the news... two guys caught for shooting that cop at the airport. Like, who does that?! I'm glad justice was served and those dudes are getting life in prison without parole.

But you know what really gets me? The fact that this story is all over the news and everyone's talking about it like it's some kind of big deal. Meanwhile, we've got actual problems happening right now on these forums... people can't even have a civil conversation anymore! It's just so frustrating. And don't even get me started on the formatting... can't they just use plain text for once?!