Andres Martinez, a 52-year-old resident of Desert Hot Springs, California, was tragically killed on the night of March 29, 2021. The incident occurred at a mobile home park located on Fifth Street, where Martinez was found suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Despite the prompt arrival of patrol officers following reports of gunshots, Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation by the Desert Hot Springs Police Department did not yield immediate details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
The investigation into Martinez's death took a significant turn when Michael Goehner, a 25-year-old man from Yucca Valley, was arrested in connection with the murder. Goehner was detained by detectives with the assistance of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office Gang Impact Team. He was held at the Riverside County Sheriff Robert Presley Detention Center with a bail set at $1 million. The arrest marked a crucial development in the case, providing some hope for justice for Martinez's family and friends.
Further developments in the case revealed that Goehner was convicted of multiple felony counts, including murder and discharging a firearm. The prosecution's trial brief detailed the events of the night of the shooting, including video evidence that captured Martinez walking away from a mobile home before gunshots were heard. Additional footage showed a figure running from the scene, and multiple 9mm casings were found along the path the shooter took. DNA analysis linked these casings to Goehner, leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction.
In February 2024, Goehner was convicted of the charges against him, and he was sentenced to 48 years and eight months to life in prison. This sentence brought some closure to the case, although the loss of Andres Martinez continues to be felt deeply by his family and the Desert Hot Springs community. Martinez was remembered as a kind and artistic individual, leaving behind a legacy of sculptures and multimedia figurines he had been working on for years. His untimely death highlighted the ongoing issues of crime in the area and the impact it has on the lives of residents.
