On July 9, 2017, 22-year-old Lester Cortes-Cotto arrived at a York hospital in a private vehicle after a street confrontation on the first block of East Maple Street. The York County Coroner determined he had multiple sharp force injuries; his death was ruled a homicide. Initial calls to police that night reported shots fired, but Cortes-Cotto’s wounds were from stabbing, not gunshot.

Police arrested two brothers, 35-year-old Juan Castro-Oquendo and 31-year-old Jose Castro-Oquendo, two days later at an apartment on the 900 block of East Market Street. Both were charged with criminal homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide. Authorities said the attack began after Jose felt disrespected by a look from Cortes-Cotto and that a gun found in Cortes-Cotto’s waistband was fired during the struggle.

Charges against Juan Castro-Oquendo were later dropped after a key witness refused to cooperate. In September 2018, Jose Menor Castro-Oquendo pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter; more severe homicide charges were dropped in exchange for the plea, with sentencing set for the following month.

If anyone remembers the incident or has information about Cortes-Cotto’s final hours, please share what is known.