LAS VEGAS, NV - Court documents state that a 19-year-old who has been charged with murder told police that he "knew he had to kill" the victim before shooting him in the back of the head.
According to 8newsnow, the incident happened on Monday, February 17th, around 2:40 a.m., when Las Vegas Fire and Rescue were called about a man who needed medical assistance in the 6800 block of North Durango Drive near Deer Springs Way. The call was then transferred to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) when the caller said the person in need of help "could be suicidal and had taken 30 pills."
Upon arriving on scene, officers found a man wrapped in a white sheet with blood coming from his head near a set of steps in front of a business. Officers performed live-saving measures until medical personnel arrived and took over. A doctor from UMC pronounced him dead shortly after. During the initial CPR, an officer found a bullet inside the white sheet and noticed that the victim had a gunshot wound to the head.
Surveillance video from a nearby business showed an unknown man near the victim around 3:00 a.m. A witness who lived nearby told police that he woke uo at 3:00 a.m. after hearing noises outside. He said that 19-year-old Joshua Martinez was the one responsible for the shooting. Officers went to Martinez's residence and took him into custody without further incident.
A search of his residence recovered two handguns. During an interview with police, Martinez told them that he had "murderous thoughts lately," that seemed to get "more intense" when he drank alcohol. In the early hours of February 17th, Martinez said he drank some alcohol and decided to try to steal money from his parents.
He told police that he stole his parent's bank card and walked to a nearby bank and attempted to withdraw money, but failed because he did not have the correct PIN. While he was at the ATM, Martinez said he saw a group of men in white hoodies and thought they were watching him. When he got back home, he was paranoid and though the group of men may have followed him home.
He then told police that he grabbed two guns and walked back toward the bank to look for the men and found the victim walking on the sidewalk wrapped in a white hoodie and asked him if he saw anyone in the area. The victim said no and asked if he could use Martinez's phone to call the hospital. Martinez said he told the victim there was a hospital across the street and offered to walk him there, but the victim wanted to go to a different hospital.
The two continued to walk and talk until they reached the steps where the victim was eventually found and sat down to continue their conversation. Martinez told police he told the victim he "wanted to murder someone" and the victim said he "felt that way sometimes too."
During the conversation, the victim told Martinez he once lit someone on fire and Martinez told police that "something clicked" when he said that and Martinez "knew he had to kill him." Martinez asked the victim if he wanted more alcohol and offered to go inside and buy some. He stood and walked behind the victim and shot him in the back of the head. Martinez then ran away.
Martinez is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. He has been charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 8th.
According to 8newsnow, the incident happened on Monday, February 17th, around 2:40 a.m., when Las Vegas Fire and Rescue were called about a man who needed medical assistance in the 6800 block of North Durango Drive near Deer Springs Way. The call was then transferred to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) when the caller said the person in need of help "could be suicidal and had taken 30 pills."
Upon arriving on scene, officers found a man wrapped in a white sheet with blood coming from his head near a set of steps in front of a business. Officers performed live-saving measures until medical personnel arrived and took over. A doctor from UMC pronounced him dead shortly after. During the initial CPR, an officer found a bullet inside the white sheet and noticed that the victim had a gunshot wound to the head.
Surveillance video from a nearby business showed an unknown man near the victim around 3:00 a.m. A witness who lived nearby told police that he woke uo at 3:00 a.m. after hearing noises outside. He said that 19-year-old Joshua Martinez was the one responsible for the shooting. Officers went to Martinez's residence and took him into custody without further incident.
A search of his residence recovered two handguns. During an interview with police, Martinez told them that he had "murderous thoughts lately," that seemed to get "more intense" when he drank alcohol. In the early hours of February 17th, Martinez said he drank some alcohol and decided to try to steal money from his parents.
He told police that he stole his parent's bank card and walked to a nearby bank and attempted to withdraw money, but failed because he did not have the correct PIN. While he was at the ATM, Martinez said he saw a group of men in white hoodies and thought they were watching him. When he got back home, he was paranoid and though the group of men may have followed him home.
He then told police that he grabbed two guns and walked back toward the bank to look for the men and found the victim walking on the sidewalk wrapped in a white hoodie and asked him if he saw anyone in the area. The victim said no and asked if he could use Martinez's phone to call the hospital. Martinez said he told the victim there was a hospital across the street and offered to walk him there, but the victim wanted to go to a different hospital.
The two continued to walk and talk until they reached the steps where the victim was eventually found and sat down to continue their conversation. Martinez told police he told the victim he "wanted to murder someone" and the victim said he "felt that way sometimes too."
During the conversation, the victim told Martinez he once lit someone on fire and Martinez told police that "something clicked" when he said that and Martinez "knew he had to kill him." Martinez asked the victim if he wanted more alcohol and offered to go inside and buy some. He stood and walked behind the victim and shot him in the back of the head. Martinez then ran away.
Martinez is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. He has been charged with open murder with the use of a deadly weapon. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 8th.
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Comments
2025-02-23T21:51-0500 | Comment by: Melvin
This country desperately needs more mental health professionals, and people close to someone with mental problems needs to do their part to the help