Trying to figure out what’s going on for dinner is one of the most stressful parts of my day. If I haven’t already figured out what to make earlier in the day, that’s just more stress. But even when making dinner is at its most stressful, I’ve never thought about shooting someone. A woman in Pennsylvania lost her life during an argument about who would make dinner. And the person who killed her was her estranged husband, Santiago Payano-Sanchez. The woman wasn’t the only person to lose her life that day. And now, Payano-Sanchez will spend the rest of his life reflecting on what he’s done.
Payano-Sanchez, who is from West Hempfield Township, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. A press release from the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office also announced that he will serve 20 to 40 years in state prison after pleading guilty to shooting his estranged wife, 59-year-old Ana Gutierrez-Cedano, and her aunt, 74-year-old Dominga Cedano-Cedano. He also shot his adult son, who ultimately survived.
Santiago Payano-Sanchez was charged with two counts of criminal homicide and one count each of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and possession of an instrument of crime.
The crime took place on October 5, 2025, at his home. The shooting occurred after what Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo called a “senseless” argument turned into a “heinous crime” following a disagreement about who would make dinner.
Police were called to the home for reports of a shooting and a man barricading himself, WJW reported. When they arrived, they found both Gutierrez-Cedano and Cedano-Cedano dead at the scene. Payano-Sanchez’s 33-year-old son had been shot in the stomach after attempting to wrestle the gun away from him. The son was was taken to the hospital.
Two children, ages 2 and 7, were also in the home at the time of the incident. They were unharmed. Payano-Sanchez surrendered himself at the scene.
“Our family will carry this trauma for the rest of our lives,” Cedano-Cedano’s daughter wrote in a letter that was read during sentencing.
Gutierrez-Cedano’s daughter also wrote a letter that was read in court. She said the shootings have left her with “permanent loss, pain, and grief.” She added that she had difficulty sleeping and was dealing with PTSD, the DA’s press release stated.
Speaking through an interpreter, Santiago Payano-Sanchez begged his family’s forgiveness and wished them peace, “but I need to face what the law is imposing on me.”
As part of his sentence, he must pay $11,000 in restitution and have no contact with his victims.
