Allentown officials to tout ‘historic lows’ for homicides, crime in 2024

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown in 2024 recorded its lowest number of homicides in more than a decade, city and county statistics show.

Officials are set to highlight those statistics, which Allentown Communications Manager Genesis Ortega called “historic lows,” at a news conference Thursday afternoon at Allentown Health Bureau.

Four people were victims of homicides in Allentown last year — down from 19 people killed in homicides in 2023, according to data from the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.

Miguel S. Dalmasi, 33, of Alburtis, was shot and killed in February at a 1-year-old’s birthday party. Roberto Gonzalez, of Allentown, faces felony charges, including homicide, in connection with Dalmasi’s death.

Angel Martinez-Velez, 25, was fatally shot June 1 at Fountain Park. Two men — Grelvis Estevez Cabrera, of Bethlehem, and Carlos Nathaniel Landesta-Agramonte, of Allentown — were charged for Martinez-Velez’s death.

No arrests have been made in connection with the fatal shooting of 39-year-old Terrance Brunson in September.

The coroner’s homicide statistics also include 44-year-old Livi E. Beltran Fernandez, who died Sept. 5 in a murder-suicide.

Three-year-old Elijah Abreu fatally shot himself in March after his father left a gun on the couch and left the room, police said. Jose Hilario Abreu pleaded guilty last month to involuntary manslaughter of a child under 12 and endangering the welfare of a child.

Those felony charges carry a minimum punishment of 18 months in prison.

City officials in September 2024 touted FBI statistics that showed a 3.4% drop in violent crime in Allentown in 2023, a slightly higher reduction than the 3% national average.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, Police Chief Charles Roca and Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan also are expected to speak Thursday about upcoming crime-prevention initiatives.