Joshua Martinez | Homicide Watch Chicago

Former teacher remembers Joshua Martinez as serious student

Susan Du — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 11:19:53 -0500

Joshua Martinez / Photo from Twitter

Joshua Martinez' was an "extraordinarily charming" person who became involved in gangs at a young age, a former teacher said.

Martinez, 20, was fatally shot about 1 a.m. Sunday during a fight in the 3000 block of West 53rd Place, authorities said. Prosecutors claim 17-year-old Angel Jara shot Martinez multiple times during a dispute over money.

Martinez' former teachers at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy said he had been involved in gangs, what they called "neighborhood extracurricular activities," at a young age.

Despite the alleged gang affiliations and warnings that Martinez and his brother were disruptive in class, mathematics instructor Ty Martinez remembered him as "extraordinarily charming."

"Both boys were, I'd say euphemistically, high energy," said Ty Martinez, who is now employed by Evanston/Skokie District 65. "They had a reputation at school, but I found them both extremely witty."

Ty Martinez only encountered Joshua Martinez outside of class, but Saucedo was small enough where those interactions meant meeting the entire family at parent-teacher conferences.

"I think it's fair to say Joshua was a little bit angrier, maybe just testier than [his brother]," Ty Martinez said. "He just had a little more of an edge to his attitude. He was more serious than his brother."

As a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, Martinez said he often hears about student deaths. He said when teachers know their students are involved in gangs there is a constant fear they won't survive.

Ty Martinez said he first felt "superficially sad" when he learned from other teachers at Saucedo that a former student had been fatally shot. When news really sunk in, he found himself thinking of the boys' mother and what he remembered of her evident concern for their school lives.

"It's just such a great shame that as educators we're tasked with seeing, excavating, catalyzing the potential of young human beings," Martinez said. "Problems that are beyond us, that we don't really have any control over, it feels sometimes like they conspire to rob us of those potentials. Even momentary contact with any of these children is filled with promise."

Prosecutors: Angel Jara fatally shot Joshua Martinez during dispute over money

Michael Lansu — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:57:36 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Angel Jara was denied bond Monday for allegedly fatally shooting a fellow gang member during a dispute over money early Sunday in the Gage Park neighborhood, prosecutors said.

On Saturday, Jara and Joshua Martinez got into an argument over the phone about money that the 17-year-old Jara allegedly owed Martinez, Assistant State's Attorney Glendon Runk said.

Martinez, 20, went to South Albany Avenue and West 52nd Street early Sunday to meet Jara, who said he did not have the money, Runk said. A fight ensued, but was broken up by people at the scene.

Jara said he had the money at his home in the 3000 block of West 53rd Place, and a witness walked with the pair to the residence, Runk said.

Jara went inside the front door while Martinez and the witness waited on the porch, Runk said. Less than a minute later, Jara allegedly cracked open the front door and fired five shots at Martinez with a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with a laser scope.

Martinez was shot in the back of the head, lower back, left side and left shoulder and fell from the front porch, Runk said.

Martinez, of the 4900 block of South Karlov Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The witness was cut by glass from the front door and fled into the street, Runk said.

Police recovered a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun from Jara's home and took him into custody at the scene, Runk said. The witness also identified Jara as the shooter.

Jara was charged with one count of first-degree murder, authorities said. Judge James Brown ordered him held without bond at a Monday hearing.

Jara is a sophomore at Curie Metro High School and has lived at the home his entire life, his public defender said.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Seven shot dead throughout city

Michael Lansu — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 09:15:54 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Seven people were shot to death throughout the city last week.

Four of the seven murders happened since Friday afternoon during a bloody weekend that saw 33 other people wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened in the Washington Park neighborhood when Corey Brownlee was fatally shot behind his home in the 6000 block of South Indiana Avenue about 2:40 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. A 27-year-old woman was also wounded in the shooting but survived.

Brownlee, 32, was shot in the chest and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

In the Gage Park neighborhood, 20-year-old Joshua Martinez was shot in the head and back in the 3000 block of West 53rd Place about 1 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Martinez, of the 4900 block of South Karlov Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder in Martinez' death and is expected to appear for a bond hearing later Monday.

On Friday, 34-year-old Shannon Mack was found shot to death in the 2700 block of East 76th Street about 9:30 p.m., authorities said.

Mack, of the 6800 block of South Crandon Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Woodlawn neighborhood, 17-year-old Gakirah Barnes was fatally shot about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 6400 block of South Eberhart Avenue, authorities said. Two other people were wounded in the shooting, police said.

Gakirah, 17, was shot in the upper body and died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, about two hours later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Residents of a home on the block were in shock over the murder. They said the girl was shot while walking on the street then collapsed onto the porch of the home, bleeding from the neck and chest.

On Wednesday, rapper Big Glo -- cousin to fellow musician Chief Keef -- was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Elizabeth Street, authorities said.

Big Glo, whose real name was Mario Hess, 30, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about an hour later, according to the medical examiner's office.

Big Glo -- who also performed under the name Blood Money -- had just recently signed with Interscope Records, said his manager, Renaldo Reuben Hess, who was also his client’s cousin.

In the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, 17-year-old Adrian Soto was killed when a gunman approached from a gangway in the 6300 block of South Mozart Street and shot him in the head about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Soto, of the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 1:59 a.m. Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started about 7:20 p.m. Monday when Darnall Gordon was fatally shot in a convenience store in the 1600 block of West Howard Street, authorities said. Two other men were wounded in the shooting but survived.

Authorities said somebody opened fire from across the street and Gordon was shot in the chest. Gordon, 36, of the 6300 block of North Sacramento Avenue, died about an hour later at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to the medical examiner's office.

Joshua Martinez shot dead in Gage Park community

Michael Lansu — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 09:22:55 -0500

Joshua Martinez was fatally shot during an early Sunday fight in the Gage Park neighborhood.

Police found Martinez, 20, unresponsive with gunshot wounds to the head and back in the 3000 block of West 53rd Place about 1 a.m., authorities said.

Police said he was shot during a fight, and the attack could be gang-related.

Martinez, of the 4900 block of South Karlov Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged in the murder, but Area Central detectives are questioning a "person of interest."

-- Sun-Times Media Wire