James Darrell Martin murdered or death by force in Wheaton, Maryland.

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Case Description

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James Darrell Martin, aged 55, was tragically killed on October 2, 2002, in Wheaton, Maryland. Martin was the first victim in the infamous DC Beltway Sniper attacks. On that fateful evening, he was standing in the parking lot of a Shoppers Food Warehouse when he was shot. Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang as Martin clutched his chest, cried for help, and collapsed to the ground. He was a systems analyst for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a veteran, having gra ...Read More

Links to Additional Sources (3)

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Crime Museum: The DC Sniper Beltway Attacks - Crime Museum

D.C. sniper attacks

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Victim Details

name

James Darrell Martin

gender

Male

race

White / Caucasian

city

Wheaton

state

MD

Date of Death

2002-10-02

Age at Death

55

First Name

James

Last Name

Darrell Martin

Last Updated

11/15/2025

Forum Posts (2)

I’ve been digging through some old articles and witness testimonies related to James Darrell Marti... ...Read More
12/07/2023

Hey everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot about James Darrell Martin, the first victim in the DC S... ...Read More
02/04/2023

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