Commonwealth v. Sanchez

OPINION

Justice SAYLOR.

This is a capital direct appeal, arising out of a robbery-homicide. The background is as follows.

Appellant and Sashana Young, a juvenile with whom he was intimate, moved from New York City to Allentown, Pennsylvania, between one and two weeks prior to the killing on July 18, 2001. Appellant’s half-sister, Ann Julie Torrez, lived in the area sometimes staying with relatives, but apparently Appellant was not permitted to stay with those relatives. On the night before the murder, the victim, Lloyd Gehret, gave the trio money for food and permitted them to sleep in an…