The Guilty Verdict Against Freddy Pando Is Reportedly The Fastest Ever In Montco History

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — A Delaware County man who was on trial this week in Norristown on charges that he killed his ex-girlfriend by stabbing her and leaving her body on a trail in Lower Providence has been found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges, in what is being reported as possibly the fastest jury verdict ever in Montgomery County history.

Freddy Mendieta-Pando, 23, of Upper Darby, was convicted of first-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the Sept. 11, 2021 death of Karina Torres, 23, also of Delaware County.

Local media reports out of Norristown state that the verdict against Mendieta-Pando was one of the fastest ever reached in a Montgomery County criminal trial. The jury of seven men and five women reportedly only deliberated for 25 minutes before rendering their verdict, according to a report from Norristown courthouse reporter Carl Hessler, Jr., who reports for The Times Herald newspaper.

Trial began in the case on Monday.

A tweet from Hessler contained video of Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele reacting to the verdict, stating that Mendieta-Pando was a man who "promised to kill the victim in this case. He strangled her. She got a protection from abuse order against him but the words 'Stay Away' were not enough for him and he took a knife and stabbed her to death."

Mendieta-Pando had initially walked into the Upper Darby Police Department headquarters in Delaware County to confess to the crime, Patch previously reported, but the case was soon transferred over to investigators in Montgomery County since Torres' body was found at the Betzwood Trailhead of the Schuylkill River Trail in Lower Providence.

Soon after the story about the killing broke, news about the couple's past surfaced, with the revelation that Mendieta-Pando had been the subject of a protective order against Torres because of a previous strangulation case against the woman.

The two had apparently met up in September 2021 to discuss the underlying case, since Mendieta-Pando was reportedly looking at spending significant time in prison for putting his hands around Torres' neck and choking her in a domestic altercation.

This is a breaking news story. Word of the verdict being reached came down less than a half-hour before the publication of this story. Patch will bring you more information as it becomes available.