Los Angeles police are seeking new leads that could help solve the 2023 shooting death of a 25-year-old man with autism, and reminding the public about a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and prosecution.
On June 13, 2023, around 4:30 a.m., LAPD officers from the Hollenbeck Division responded to a shooting near the 3400 block of Emery Street.
There they found Noah Martinez on the ground outside of a parked RV suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite medical aid from paramedics, Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Noah was near that doorway of the RV when he was shot for what appeared to be an unprovoked attack,” LAPD Lt. Ryan Rabbett said during a press conference Thursday. “Detectives processed that crime scene, they spoke to witnesses and collected evidence and began a very intensive investigation to this day.”
A year later, the city of Los Angeles approved a $50,000 reward for information that helped solve Martinez’s senseless murder.
“The person or persons responsible for this crime represent an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles; therefore, it is appropriate for the City of Los Angeles to offer a reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Noah Martinez,” the original motion reads.
Martinez worked as a night janitor in Boyle Heights, according to his Autism Memorial page. On his way home from work that night, he made a detour through an industrial work zone, possibly to collect recyclables for spare change, family members posited. He never made it home.
“There was nothing Noah did to stimulate or anger somebody or cause any type of dispute. He’s truly a victim,” Rabbett said. “[He] had a long life ahead of him.”
Family members were in attendance during Thursday’s press conference, and described Martinez as a loving, outgoing young man who enjoyed singing, dancing and putting a smile on people’s faces. His father, Jonathan Martinez, read a poem that described his son as the “life of the party,” who “turned the dark to light.”
He urged anyone in the neighborhood who may have even the slightest bit of information to take contact law enforcement or take advantage of anonymous tip lines to get those details to detectives.
“Whatever you saw that early morning, please come forward and share what you have,” Jonathan Martinez said. “As for the community, if they hear something, say something.”
Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Bureau Homicide Division are leading the investigation. They hope the city-funded reward will encourage witnesses or community members to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD detectives at 213-996-4104. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by calling 800-222-8477.
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