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Unsolved Murder Cases Growing Cold After a Few Weeks
Posted: Jan 29, 2013 5:17 PM by Rachel Cole -- rcole@kristv.com
Updated: Jan 30, 2013 10:25 AM
CORPUS CHRISTI - Detectives say a lack of evidence is pushing a lukewarm homicide investigation into a cold case. It'll be the third unsolved homicide case from last year. The specific case in question is a murder that happened in December of 2012.
The mother of Michael Martinez, 21, says he loved basketball and music and was ready to take on the world before he was taken out of it. She's still grieving and didn't want to talk about the incident. But Richard Garcia the cold case investigator working on her son's murder is speaking out.
"She's gone through a lot, she's lost her son," Garcia said.
In December, firefighters found Martinez dead inside his home on 7th Street. Police say he died from sharp force injuries. Garcia says the fire was started to cover up evidence, evidence they need to solve this murder, that after just 4 weeks is already becoming cold.
"Normally, if it hasn't been solved within the month or that time frame, it starts getting to be a cold case," Garcia said.
Garcia says evidence they do collect at the scene is sent off to the labs for testing which usually takes month. He says often times cases are solved long before results return to the department because of witnesses who come forward with information.
"You're waiting for one little bitty piece, somebody might have heard something, or somebody knows something out there," Garcia said.
Investigators say they have thousands of cold cases some dating back to 1946, but they're always open to new leads or evidence that could help them solve the crime.
"Murder cases are always open there's not statute of limitations on murder cases and as soon as something comes in we evaluate the information and try to do something with it," Garcia said.
Garcia says he needs new information to help catch this killer and give closure to the family of Michael Martinez.
If you know anything about Martinez's murder, call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS, or submit a tip online at www.888tips.com.
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