On June 20, 2025, a federal jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico convicted Joseph Payne-Pabón of carjacking resulting in the death of an 82-year-old woman. The incident occurred on January 7, 2020, during a blackout caused by earthquakes.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Payne-Pabón, a homeless man aged 34 at the time, entered Eulalia Combas Sancho's home and killed her before stealing her Hyundai Sonata. It was demonstrated that he used a cement block to inflict fatal injuries to her head. The sentencing is set for September 10, 2025, at the United States District Court under Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón.
United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow praised the collaborative efforts leading to this conviction: “This verdict is a direct result of the tireless efforts and outstanding work of agents and officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and federal prosecutors and professional staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Gordon Mallory from ATF Miami Field Division emphasized community commitment against violence: “This verdict reflects our community’s intolerance for senseless acts of violence... It is our hope that this conviction can bring some closure to the victim’s family.”
The investigation involved collaboration between several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from local law enforcement bodies.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz and César Rivera-Díaz led the prosecution.
