In the community of Freeport, New York, a young man's ordinary evening took a turn that would leave his family searching for answers for years to come. On April 26, 2016, 20-year-old Samuel Martinez Sandoval told someone he was stepping out to get food from a spot on Babylon Turnpike. He left on foot around 8:00 p.m. and was never seen or heard from again. Attempts to reach him on his cell phone were unsuccessful, deepening the mystery of his sudden disappearance. At the time he went missing, Martinez Sandoval was described as a Hispanic male, standing 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds, with both brown hair and brown eyes.
For years, the investigation into Samuel's whereabouts yielded few public developments, leaving a painful void for those who knew him. The case remained an open and heart-wrenching puzzle. However, a significant break in the case came nearly eight years later through federal investigations into gang activity. In January 2025, three high-ranking members of the MS-13 gang entered guilty pleas on racketeering charges that were connected to a string of violent crimes, including the murder of Samuel Martinez Sandoval. This admission brought a tragic clarity to what had happened on that spring evening in 2016. The motive behind the horrific act was the gang's mistaken belief that he was associated with a rival gang.
Court documents revealed the chilling and calculated nature of the crime that unfolded on April 26, 2016. The gang members lured Martinez Sandoval with the promise of smoking marijuana, persuading him to go with them to a secluded, wooded area near Freeport Lake in Roosevelt. Unbeknownst to him, a group of more than half a dozen armed gang members was waiting. They surrounded him and carried out a brutal attack with machetes and other weapons. Afterward, they buried his body in a shallow grave. The following day, they returned to the site to re-bury him, this time covering the grave with cement and dirt to better conceal their crime. It wasn't until September 2024 that his remains were finally discovered. The individuals responsible admitted their guilt, bringing a somber resolution to a case that began with a simple trip to get food.
Last Seen: Apr 26, 2016
