A Lancaster County judge has ordered a local man to spend the next 8 to 20 years in state prison for a 2021 shooting that claimed the life of an uninvolved bystander. Judge Dennis Reinaker handed down the sentence to 31-year-old Steffen Vadoria Tidwell Jr. Thursday, following a jury’s October decision to find him guilty of voluntary manslaughter and a summary firearm charge.
The fatal encounter took place on August 20, 2021, in the 600 block of Hebrank Street. What began as a family barbecue soured after a tense argument broke out.
Prosecutors stated that Tidwell, a resident of North Queen Street, walked to his car to retrieve a handgun before returning to fire five shots at 26-year-old Jomar Almestica.
Almestica was not a part of the dispute; he was simply standing on the front steps of a nearby home when the gunfire erupted shortly after 10 p.m. He died at a local hospital about an hour later.
“There’s no reason why this should have happened,” Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo said during the proceedings. She described the act as “senseless,” emphasizing that Tidwell was the one who escalated the situation. “There’s no doubt of that,” she added.
READ: Bones In The Ashes: California Man Charged After Burned Skull Found On Rural Property
The sentencing hearing was marked by emotional testimony from the victim’s family. In a letter read aloud by the prosecution, Almestica’s mother described him as a “good, humble and simple boy” who loved fishing and his children.
She spoke of a “great pain and emptiness” and the reality that his children will now grow up without a father. Another relative remembered Almestica as a son who cared and a man “who brought joy into people’s lives.”
Tidwell took the opportunity to speak before the court, offering a direct apology to Almestica’s mother and asking for forgiveness. He described the victim as a “precious life” and claimed he was ready to be held accountable.
Having spent four and a half years in jail awaiting the resolution of the case, Tidwell told the judge he was “in no way proud” of his actions and insisted he had changed for the better while behind bars.
However, the prosecution remained skeptical of Tidwell’s claims of rehabilitation. Collo pointed to his lengthy criminal history, which includes prior convictions for violent crimes and felony firearm offenses.
“What is justice if the price of one man’s progress is another man’s life?” Collo asked the court, questioning why previous prison sentences had failed to change his behavior.
In addition to his 8 to 20-year prison term, Tidwell was ordered to pay over $8,000 in restitution.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
