In the days leading up to Christmas, a tragedy unfolded in a small Baltimore deli that would leave a family and a community grieving. On December 22, 2019, Carmen Rodriguez, a 36-year-old mother of four, was working at her family's Kim's Deli and Grocery on North Kenwood Avenue. It was just before 5:30 p.m. when the normalcy of the evening was shattered by an act of violence that would claim her life.
The harrowing events were captured on surveillance footage. One man, later identified as Terrance Peterson, was seen entering and casing the store. Shortly after, another man, Martin Brooks, entered armed with a handgun. Brooks approached the counter where Rodriguez stood and, after a demand for money, fired a single, fatal shot to her head. The entire brutal act was witnessed by her children who were in the store at the time. Emergency services arrived to find Rodriguez on the floor behind the counter; she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the murder of Carmen Rodriguez led to the identification of two suspects. In January 2020, Terrance Peterson, then 29 years old, turned himself in to the police. The following month, a second arrest was made. Martin Brooks, 39 years old at the time, was taken into custody and identified by police as the shooter. Both men were charged with murder, armed robbery, and firearms offenses. Brooks had a significant and violent criminal history, including a prior murder charge that had been dropped and a conviction for armed robbery.
The legal process culminated in accountability for the violent death of Carmen Rodriguez. Martin Brooks was found guilty of first-degree felony murder, second-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and multiple firearms charges. In July 2023, a Baltimore City judge sentenced him to the maximum penalty of life in prison plus 35 years. This sentence brought a measure of closure to a family and community still mourning the loss of a beloved mother and friend.
