 Juan B. Rodriguez-Santos |
 Lisa M. Palacio |
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 30-year-old JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS and 29-year-old LISA M. PALACIO, both of Moonachie, NJ, on charges stemming from a falsely reported home invasion and shooting. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Moonachie Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens.
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at approximately 6:42 a.m., law enforcement received a 9-1-1 call from a male and female requesting police. The couple was later identified as JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS and LISA M. PALACIO, who were calling from their residence in Moonachie, NJ. Responding officers from the Moonachie Police Department located both LISA M. PALACIO and JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS at their residence and found RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS was transported to a local hospital with the non-life-threatening injury. He was treated and released.
Detectives from both the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene and initiated a joint investigation with the Moonachie Police Department. The preliminary investigation revealed that JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS told responding officers that he was suffering from a stab wound, but later reported to law enforcement that an unknown male wearing a face mask entered their home, attempted to rob him, and then shot him once in his leg with a handgun. LISA M. PALACIO initially told law enforcement that she knew an individual had entered her residence and shot RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS, but later informed law enforcement that she was unaware what happened to RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS.
As the investigation progressed, detectives determined that no home invasion or robbery occurred, and that JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS shot himself in the leg. The investigation also revealed that LISA M. PALACIO hid the firearm from the responding officers. Additionally, investigators determined that JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS was in possession of the personal identifying information of others.
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS was placed in custody and charged with second-degree making false reports to law enforcement authorities, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-4a; third-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(1); third-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(4); fourth-degree trafficking in personal identifying information pertaining to another person, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17.3(a); and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6(1).
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, LISA M. PALACIO was also placed in custody and charged with second-degree making false reports to law enforcement authorities, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-4a; third-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution by concealing evidence, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3a(3); third-degree hindering apprehension, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3a(7); and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6(1). Both JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS and LISA M. PALACIO were remanded to the Bergen County Jail.
On Thursday, October 16, 2025, JUAN B. RODRIGUEZ-SANTOS and LISA M. PALACIO each made a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ. Both were ordered released pending further court action.
Prosecutor Mark Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Moonachie Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their coordination and assistance in this investigation.