MARCO MARTINEZ - 16 yo (2010)/ Charged: Santos Hernandez Jr. - Lakeland FL

Lakeland FL ---- Detectives are trying to find a Kathleen High School
student who hasn't been to school this week, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.


Investigators say 16-year-old Marco Martinez hasn't contacted any friends or family,
or used his cell phone in that time.
His complete lack of contact makes deputies fear
something may have happened to the teen and that he may be in danger.
He was last seen on Monday in the area of McGregor Street.
Marco Martinez is 5’7” tall, and weighs 135 lbs. He has black hair and brown
eyes, and has two spider web tattoos – one on each hand.
If you know where he is please call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at (863)534-6200

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=1144635&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

Endangered
Runaway

MARCO MARTINEZ DOB: Jul 1, 1993 Missing: Apr 5, 2010 Height: 5'7" (170 cm) Eyes: Brown Race: Hispanic Age Now: 16 Sex: Male Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg) Hair: Black Missing From: LAKELAND FL United States Marco was last seen at home on April 5, 2010. He has a tattoo on his arm.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) Polk County Sheriff's Office (Florida) 1-863-533-0344

http://www.theledger.com/article/20100415/NEWS/4155082/1134?Title=Polk-Detectives-Seek-Help-in-Finding-16-Year-Old-Marco-Martinez-Missing-Since-April-5

Polk Detectives Seek Help in Finding
16-Year-Old Marco Martinez, Missing Since April 5
Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 11:44 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 11:44 p.m.
Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives are asking for help in
finding a Lakeland teen who has been missing since April 5.
Marco Martinez, 16, of 2656 McGregor St., attends Kathleen High
School but has not returned to school in a week.Detectives
searched a retention pond behind Marco's home Wednesday and Thursday but
did not find any leads.They also searched the wooded areas in
the neighborhood near West Highlands Street, the Sheriff's Office said.Marco
is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighs 135 pounds, has black hair and brown
eyes and has two spiderweb tattoos - one on each hand.Detectives are concerned for his safety because he has not
contacted friends or family nor used his cell phone all week, the
Sheriff's Office said.Anyone who has seen Marco should contact
the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-534-6200 or 800-226-0344.

It rarely happens: A child just disappears, seemingly vanishing into thin air and leaving
detectives baffled as to why.
Marco Martinez, however, is the rare exception.
The 16-year-old junior at Kathleen High School disappeared from his west
Lakeland neighborhood April 5.
Nobody, at least nobody who is talking so far, has any
idea of what happened to him.
“He just vanished,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Tuesday.
“We want him back home,” Marco's mother, Alma Martinez, said.
The problem with determining Marco's fate, Judd said, is that nothing about him or the situation
comes close to fitting what you'd expect: Marco is a runaway or Marco was murdered.
“Our greatest fear is that he has met a violent demise and he's a victim of homicide,” Judd said.
But Marco was even-tempered, a good student and a good worker at Fred's
Market. He wasn't in any trouble and had no known enemies.
The only blemish, Judd said, is that Marco sometimes smoked marijuana. But, the sheriff said, he paid
for the marijuana.
There are several reasons investigators say the runaway angle doesn't fit,
Judd said: On the afternoon of April 5, a Monday, Marco was babysitting his 3-year-old
niece, Analise, whom he adored. The child was found alone outside the
home about 4:30 p.m. She was shaking, crying but otherwise OK.
“Marco never said, ‘This is my niece,' ” his father,
Cirilo Martinez, said. “He said, ‘This is my baby.' ”
He left hundreds of dollars in a pair of pants in his bedroom. His room is a shrine to Jesus, Florida
State football, baseball caps and sunglasses. A key was left in the back door lock.
He never used his cellphone after disappearing.
He never contacted his family.
“I hope he's alive and I think he's alive,” said Cirilo
Martinez, 37. He works installing traffic lights and his wife, also 37,
works at Fred's Market.
They burn a candle for Marco every day on the kitchen table. Their well-kept
home on McGregor Street is in a somewhat crowded working class
neighborhood. It would have been hard for someone to force Marco from
the home without anyone noticing.
Victor Alejo, 19, a friend who worked with him at
Fred's, said Marco is a good guy who likes to have fun at work.
“He worked really hard,” Alejo said.
Judd said sheriff's investigators have worked extremely hard to find Marco and will continue
to do so. “But we need some help from the public,'' he said. ‘‘Somebody knows something.”
Marco is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 135 pounds, has black hair and brown
eyes, and has two spider web tattoos – one on each hand.
Anyone who has seen Marco Martinez or knows anything about his disappearance is urged to contact
the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-534-6200 or 1-800-226-0344.

Authorities are concerned over the suspicious disappearance of a
16-year-old boy who vanished five weeks ago – leaving behind few clues.

Marco Martinez doesn't have a history of running away, and at the
time he disappeared, he was caring for a 3-year-old niece he adored, Polk County
Sheriff Grady Judd said.

The girl, Analise, was found alone, screaming and crying on the back porch of the
missing teen's home at 2656 McGregor St., Judd said.

"We're hoping that he ran away, but that's not what we believe at
this point in the investigation," Judd said. "It doesn't fit the
traditional runaway profile."

Investigators have been frustrated in their search for clues as even
his friends say they don't know what happened to him, the sheriff said.

"He comes from a complete family
unit, mom and dad
and the kids. There's no problems at home. This kid goes to school,
works, makes decent grades, is well thought of by the family," Judd
said.

Martinez, a Kathleen High
School student, was last heard from the afternoon of April 5 when he
talked to his mother Alma, who asked him to order a pizza.

She called back a short time later and the call went into voicemail.
Martinez, a busboy at
Fred's Market restaurant in Lakeland, left behind $400 cash in his room
and a paycheck waiting for him at work, Judd said. His cell phone hasn't
been used since he went missing, he said.

Martinez was known to use marijuana but investigators don't think
drug use or a drug debt played any role in his disappearance, Judd said.

Detectives have worked this daily from the beginning "and we're very
frustrated," he said.

His 13-year-old brother, Kevin, said he and the family worry that he
was the victim of foul play, particularly since he was so attached to
the niece who was left
alone.

Kevin said he found the girl screaming and shaking.

"That's what makes us think that like someone just like came in
because he wouldn't just leave her. He treated her like that was his
baby," the brother said.

His mother, using her son as a translator because she doesn't speak
English very well, said she's worried that he might be injured or worse.

The family hasn't given up hope, Kevin said.

"I'm just hoping that he comes back home and everything can be back
to normal," he said.

The missing teen is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. He
has black hair and brown eyes, and has two spider web tattoos, one on
each hand.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at
(863) 534-6200 or 1-800-226-0344.

The reward for information in a missing Lakeland teen's disappearance has increased to $10,000. Marco
Martinez, now 17, was last seen on April 5 after picking up his
3-year-old niece from the bus stop near his McGregor Street home. When
Marco's 13-year-old brother got home from school, the toddler was on
the front porch frantic and crying and Marco's keys were still in the
door. Marco was not there and he has not been seen since. Detectives initially suspected Marco ran away. They now consider his disappearance suspicious. His
mother, Alma Martinez, has said that she prays at
night for peace, strength and the safe return of her son. Alma's
living room table was crowded with candles that sit before a picture of
the Virgin Mary, and right beneath it there's a picture of her teenage
son. Martinez said she hasn't changed the sheets on his bed because they
still smell like her son. Alma also said that her family received a message from the last person who supposedly saw Marco alive, a minor who has not officially been identified. They told us, "You'll never see your son again because he's in the ground." Marco
is described as 5-foot-7, 135 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
He has a star tattoo on one hand and three dots on the other hand. If
you have any information about the disappearance of Marco Martinez
you're asked to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office at (863) 298-6379
or (800) 226-0344. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward if you contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at (800) 226-TIPS.

For four months, there has been no sign of Marco Martinez.
The 16-year-old disappeared from his Lakeland home without a trace.
"Quite frankly, we're perplexed," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd
on Friday. "We don't see kids vaporize right before our very eyes."
The sheriff says Martinez is a good student, a hard worker and
devoted uncle. He babysits for his niece, Analeese, every day while his
sister is at work.


It was back on April 5th when Martinez picked up his 3-year-old niece
at the bus stop, like he did every afternoon. Shortly after the two got
back to the house, his mother talked to him on the cell phone around 3:00 p.m.
That turned out to be the last time his family would hear from him.
Around 5:00 p.m. that day, Julie Martinez came home to find her
toddler wandering around the yard all alone. The door to the house was
open. Her brother's stash of money was still on the dresser.
"He wouldn't leave by himself. He wouldn't leave my child alone. He
wouldn't leave his money, he carried it everywhere," said Martinez.
The sheriff agrees something is awry. He believes someone in the
community can lead them to Martinez, so he's raised the reward money.
It is a first in a long time for a missing teenager in Polk County.
"We're going to provide $10,000 cash for information leading us to Marco--dead or alive," said Judd.
Through tears, mother Alma said that she hopes it will help
bring her son home. She's kept a candle constantly lit for that very
reason since the day he disappeared.
"We don't know if he's alive or dead," said sister Julie with tears
pouring down her face. "All we want is a phone call to say that he's okay."
Deputies say the last person seen with Marco on April 5th was
possibly Santos Hernandez, 16, a known gang member who lives in the area.
If you know anything about this case, call Heartland Crime Stoppers at (800) 226-TIPS.

Today marks a grim milestone for a Polk County family desperate for news about a missing teenager.

Four months ago today, Marco Martinez vanished from his home on McGregor Street west of Lakeland. He was 16 at the time.

Sheriff's investigators hope a new $10,000 reward for information will help spark new clues.

"We have followed up every lead we've received. We're looking for new leads," Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Martinez, who is now 17, was last seen April 5. Deputies know he
picked up his niece, spoke to his mom on the telephone and even made it
to the front door to put his key in it.

His 3-year-old niece, Analise, was found alone, screaming and crying on the back porch of the home.

Authorities say they don't think he would have left Analise, who he adored, to fend for herself.

But the trail has gone cold.

Investigators do not believe Martinez is a runaway. They say he was a
student at Kathleen High School who worked a part time job and even
left $400 behind in his bedroom.

"We hope he's alive. We hope he's just a missing person, but we fear and are preparing for the worst," Judd said.

The sheriff is convinced someone in the community knows exactly what
happened to Martinez. "We've just got to find them or they've got to be
brave enough to come to us," Judd said.

The missing teen is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. He
has black hair and brown eyes, and has two spider web tattoos, one on
each hand.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS. The call can be anonymous.

No news on Marco but bumping it up. This one particularly bothers me as he's not a runaway IMO. Somebody out there knows what happened to him.

A 16-year-old boy who went missing in April has been found dead, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. On the afternoon of April 5th, Marco Martinez picked up his 3-year-old niece from the school bus stop as he always did. He and his niece never made it inside their house. When Marco's 13-year-old brother got home from school, the toddler was on the front porch crying and Marco's keys were still in the door. In June, Marco's mother, Alama Martinez, reported "When I got home, as a mother I knew something was terribly wrong. Someone came to my home and took my son." She said the little girl trembled for days after Marco went missing every time they opened the front door. Alma also said that her family received a message from the last person who supposedly saw Marco alive, a minor. Alma said they were told, "You'll never see your son again because he's in the ground." Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has called a news briefing for later today to provide more details, including information about a suspect.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/oct/05/051223/lakeland-teen-missing-since-april-found-dead/news-breaking/
Sheriff: 16-year-old admits killing Lakeland teen
by JENNIFER LEIGH | News Channel 8

Published: October 5, 2010

Updated: 1 min. ago

* No history of running away
LAKELAND - A 16-year-old has admitted killing another teen who had been missing since April, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Santos Hernandez told deputies he killed 16-year old Marco Martinez on April 5 after an argument about money, Judd said at a news conference this morning.

Hernandez was questioned four times over several months and denied knowing anything about his friend's disappearance, Judd said. During a fifth interview, Hernandez told deputies a "scraggly looking white guy" told him where to find Martinez's body, the sheriff said.

Detectives searched several wooded and pond areas near West Highland Street and found a sock with foot bones in it. The search continued, and remains were found that detectives said belonged to Martinez.

Investigators said Martinez was stabbed and shot to death, according to a sheriff's office news release.

The remains haven't been positively identified yet, but there were clothes and jewelry matching what Martinez was wearing when he disappeared, Judd said. The medical examiner's office will verify the identity this week.

On a sixth interview, Hernandez told deputies he killed Martinez, Judd said.

Detectives are working with the State Attorney's Office to file charges in the case, according to the sheriff's office.

Martinez, who lived in northwest Lakeland, was last seen at home near McGregor Street, according to the sheriff's office. Martinez attended Kathleen High School but had not been seen since April 5.

Stay with TBO.com for details.

This is terribly sad but I suspected this would be the outcome
Lakeland, Florida - For six months the family of Marco Martinez lit candles and prayed for his safe return, but now investigators say they've found a body and a murder suspect.

"My mom thought he was going to come back and had his room ready - everything washed, but I guess that's not going to happen," says Marco's older sister Julie Martinez.

Marco, 16, mysteriously disappeared from his home last April. His family knew something was wrong, because they said he would never have left his little niece unattended.

Detectives soon zeroed in on a childhood friend and known gang member Santos Hernandez. They questioned the teen repeatedly. "He was tough for a 16-year-old kid. He was real tough," says Polk Sheriff Grady Judd.

But under questioning, Santos said someone else had told him where the body was located and he drew detectives a map. A body matching the description of Martinez was located in a shallow grave in some woods very near Martinez's home. Judd says Santos later admitted shooting and stabbing Martinez during an argument over money.

"One of his statements was that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in prison. My suggestion is, he should have thought of that before he murdered Marco," said Judd at a Tuesday news conference.

Santos is in the Polk County jail serving time on unrelated charges, but Judd says a murder charge will be filed as soon as the medical examiner officially identifies the body.

It's been a long six months for the Martinez family, months filled with worry. "My mother says sometimes she would just hear his voice, screaming out for help," says Julie.

Now there may be answers, but instead of relief, there is grief. Marco's father Cirilo Martinez says, "I guess I want people to remember Marco like he is, a happy boy."
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=149535&catid=8

The whereabouts of a missing 16-year-old Lakeland boy eluded Polk County Sheriff's homicide detectives for six months, until they received information that led them Friday to a shallow, unmarked grave near his home.
Detectives spent the weekend digging and sifting through dirt, and, on Tuesday, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said he was confident the mostly skeletal remains belonged to Marco Martinez, who disappeared the afternoon of April 5.And Monday, after a half-dozen interviews during the course of several months, Santos Hernandez Jr., Martinez's neighborhood friend, broke down and told detectives he shot and stabbed Martinez to death over an outstanding debt.Martinez's father, Cirilo Martinez, 39, said detectives told the family Monday they were almost certain the remains found were his.Sitting beneath his carport Tuesday morning, he wondered how to begin planning a funeral."I'm the head of the house," Cirilo Martinez said. "Someone has got to be strong. I think I am, at least on the outside."Judd said Hernandez is a documented gang member and a "thug" until he decided to commit murder."Sheriff's investigators are still waiting for an official forensic identification of Marco Martinez's body from the University of Florida before filing a formal charge of murder against Hernandez. He is currently serving a 300-day sentence in the Polk County Jail for not having a valid driver license, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to records.
'WE WERE WATCHING HIM LIKE A HAWK'
In the initial days after Marco Martinez disappeared in April, sheriff's detectives combed the area near the teen's West Lakeland home.They used dive teams, horses, cadaver dogs and every method of detection at their disposal, but found nothing.Interviews with neighbors were inconclusive, as were those with Hernandez, Judd said."Santos always denied knowing the whereabouts of Marco," Judd said. "He was tough for a 16-year-old kid."But something didn't add up, Judd said.A $10,000 reward for information was offered, but there were no takers.Though leads in the case were running dry, Sheriff's detectives and deputies continued to monitor their only person of interest - Hernandez."We were watching him like a hawk," Judd said.During a patrol in August, Deputy Paul Leslie saw Hernandez run a stop sign in Lakeland. Leslie pulled Hernandez over and found he didn't have a valid driver license. When his car was searched, Leslie also found about 20 grams of marijuana and a .22-caliber pistol."Through his traffic stop and arrest, he (Leslie) helped the homicide guys put this thing together," Judd said.Two days later, Hernandez's mother bailed him out of jail.About a month later, Hernandez was back at the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow after kicking his mother in the stomach. After sheriff's detectives conferred with prosecutors, Hernandez's August charges were upgraded to adult status.
MAP LEADS TO BODY
During Hernandez's fifth interview, this one from jail last month, he told investigators a "scraggly" white man told him he had killed Marco Martinez and buried him in a grave off West Highland Street.Hernandez drew a vague map for detectives, who immediately began searching, Judd said. "That's when we were able to focus in on a search area."On Sept. 30, detectives found a sock filled with foot bones in a wooded area not far from Marco Martinez's home.The following day, detectives unearthed a body in a shallow grave, less than a foot deep, wearing the same clothes and jewelry that Marco Martinez was last seen wearing.And his skull showed signs of a bullet wound.Between that interview and Monday, Hernandez had two small teardrops tattooed next to his left eye, Judd said, which some gang members use to represent the number of murders they have committed.Detectives said Hernandez told them Monday that he and Marco Martinez were in woods near Martinez's house, 2656 McGregor St., smoking marijuana when they began arguing over money. Hernandez said he shot Martinez and then stabbed him, Judd said.That occurred while Marco Martinez was supposed to be watching his 3-year-old niece, Analise, at home.Hernandez told how he went back to his home at 622 N. Grady Ave. and took a shower, put on clean clothes and went to eat dinner at a Chinese restaurant with his uncle, Judd said, and the next day returned to the wooded area to bury Marco Martinez.On Tuesday, family members still mourning the recent news waded through thick brush in search of the grave site.That the site was not more than 500 feet from their home was unsettling, they said."It's sad," said Julie Martinez, 19, Marco Martinez's sister. "Just to know it is so close."Jessica Sanchez, 19, a cousin of Marco Martinez, said that though Hernandez and Marco Martinez spent time together, her cousin never considered him a close friend."That's somebody to hang out with, I don't have any real friends," Sanchez remembers Marco Martinez saying. "Everyone is fake these days.""It's unreal," said Kevin Martinez, 14, Marco Martinez's brother. "It is not like he's even gone. It's like he's at a party. Nothing like this has ever happened before."Detectives don't believe all of Hernandez's story, Judd said.First reports said Marco Martinez's brother came home to find their door ajar with the key in the lock, according to a family friend, and his young niece didn't have the words to describe what occurred. She kept repeating the words "the store, the store."Hundreds of dollars were left in a pair of pants in his bedroom.Hernandez said he had broken into the home to look for money, but found nothing, Judd said."There's still a lot of investigative work to be done on this," Judd said. "He has not given us the fine details. He's kind of given us a macro look rather than a micro one."Still missing are Marco Martinez's cell phone and the knife used to stab him.Marco Martinez was born in Guerrero, Mexico, and moved with relatives to Florida when he was 2, his father said. The family moved to Lakeland in 2000.Marco Martinez would have been a senior at Kathleen High School this year.He worked with his mother, Alma Martinez, at Fred's Southern Kitchen in Lakeland.His father, who installs traffic signals, said he has had to put thoughts of his missing son in the back of his mind to help support his family."I try not to keep it all the time on my mind," he said. "Life continues. We have to survive."

The human remains found Friday in a wooded area in Lakeland are those of Marco Martinez, the 16-year-old who went missing in early April.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday afternoon that it had received confirmation of the identification from the office of Dr. Stephen J. Nelson, the medical examiner for the 10th Judicial Circuit.Dr. Barry Lipton, DDS, a forensic odontologist located in Largo, conducted the forensic examination that confirmed the identification.According to a report received Wednesday, Lipton compared the skull, maxilla and mandible to Marco Martinez's dental records and determined that the remains recovered by Sheriff's Office investigators are those of Martinez, who Sheriff Grady Judd said was fatally stabbed and shot.Santos Hernandez, 16, of Lakeland, is in custody on other charges but is considered to be the primary suspect in the murder case, according to the Sheriff's Office.The State Attorney's Office is still in the process of conferring with Sheriff's Office detectives and has not yet filed charges in the case.Martinez's remains were recovered Friday in an area south of West Highlands Street in Lakeland.

Sixteen-Year-Old Indicted In Killing of Second Teen
Published: Thursday, October 21, 2010
BARTOW | A grand jury indicted Santos Hernandez Jr. on Thursday in the killing of 16-year-old Marco Martinez, whose body was found earlier this month in a shallow grave near his Lakeland home.

Hernandez, also 16, is accused of first-degree murder. He is being prosecuted as an adult.

The indictment states Hernandez shot Martinez and also stabbed or cut him.

Martinez, a Kathleen High School student, disappeared the afternoon of April 5.

After months of unsuccessful searching, detectives continued to interview Hernandez, who provided the location of Martinez's body, according to reports from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

His body was found in a shallow grave near his house earlier this month.

Hernandez told investigators that he and Martinez were arguing over money when the attack took place, the reports state.

Martinez was the subject of an intensive search by detectives. A $10,000 reward was offered for information in the case.

A popular student at Kathleen High School, Martinez was babysitting his 3-year-old niece, Analise, on April 5. The girl was found alone outside their home about 4:30 p.m.

Martinez's brother came home to find their door ajar with the key in the lock, and his young niece didn't have the words to describe what occurred. She kept repeating the words "the store, the store."

Hundreds of dollars were left in a pair of pants in his bedroom.

If convicted of first-degree murder Hernandez could be sentenced to life in prison. Because of his age prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty.

Marco Martinez disappeared the afternoon of April 5, and detectives had searched for him for months and offered a $10,000 reward for information in the case.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20101021/news/10215096&tc=yahoo

kathleen high student killed
Police: 17-Year-Old Suspect Says Stabbing Was Unplanned
Saturday, December 25, 2010
BARTOW | Santos Hernandez Jr. told detectives he didn't plan to shoot and stab his friend, according to a recently released transcript.

"I just wish it never happened," said the Lakeland teenager.

The State Attorney's Office released documents last week in the murder case against Hernandez, including the transcript of his Oct. 4 interview with detectives.

Hernandez, 17, is accused of first-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Marco Martinez.

Martinez, a Kathleen High School student, disappeared on the afternoon of April 5. His skeletal remains were uncovered Oct. 1 in a shallow grave near his home on McGregor Street in Lakeland.

A grand jury indicted Hernandez on Oct. 21. Prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty because of Hernandez's age. However, if convicted as charged, he faces up to life in prison. A trial has not yet been scheduled.

Hernandez's lawyer, Jeffrey Holmes, said he is still reviewing the records in the case, and he did not want to comment for this story.

Hernandez told detectives in the transcript that he and Martinez were upset about money and drugs that each thought were owed.

Hernandez said he was hanging out on April 5 with Martinez on the back porch smoking marijuana.

He said they took a walk into the nearby woods, and he brought a handgun along to shoot birds.

He said a verbal argument over the debts turned into a fist fight.

Hernandez said he was losing the fight so he pulled out the .22-caliber revolver from his right pants pocket and fired twice.

"I didn't see if I hit him or not," Hernandez said.

He said the gun made a clicking sound so he pulled a folding knife from his left pants pocket and began stabbing Martinez.

Hernandez told detectives he "panicked" after the killing and went home to take a shower. He said the incident didn't seem real.

"I was scared," he said. "I didn't want to tell nobody."

He recalled getting some takeout Chinese food with a relative and then going to a friend's house to smoke some marijuana.

He said he went back the next day with a shovel to get rid of the body.

"And then I just dig a hole and put him in there," he said.

For months, Martinez's whereabouts were a mystery. Detectives checked into rumors about what happened to the teen and interviewed many people.

Some witnesses spoke about mounting animosity between Hernandez and Martinez, reports show.

Christopher Stephens of Fort Meade said Hernandez didn't like Martinez, and he ridiculed Martinez by calling him a fake gang member.

Stephens also recalled that Hernandez asked him where Martinez kept his money.

Hernandez later told detectives in his Oct. 4 interview that he did break into Martinez's bedroom before the killing took place to take money and settle the debt. However, he said he didn't find anything.

Hernandez's ex-girlfriend, Veronica Saldierna of Seffner, said Hernandez admitted to stabbing Martinez "in the chest and watched him die slowly," according to an investigative report.

She recalled Hernandez was laughing when he told her about this, the report states.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20101225/NEWS/12255051?p=2&tc=pg

11/27/2011 MEMO OF COURT (SNAPOUT) 05/26/11
07/25/2011 INSERT HEARING FOR THE DATE: 10/6/2011
07/25/2011 Re: STHR--STATUS HEARING BY EMYLSALA
07/22/2011 MEMO OF COURT (SNAPOUT) 07/21/11
https://www2.myfloridacounty.com/ccm/do/docket?county=53&data=70222c78ed41be6c3ba9bb3ecbb731d4

No update found.

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