Maritza Martin Munoz, a 33-year-old Cuban-American woman, was tragically murdered on January 18, 1993, in North Lauderdale, Florida. The incident occurred at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery, where Maritza was visiting her daughter's grave. Her ex-husband, Emilio Nuñez, who was 34 years old at the time, was also present at the cemetery, being interviewed by a Telemundo television crew about their daughter's recent suicide. Their 15-year-old daughter, Yoandra, had taken her own life in November 1992 after discovering she was 13 weeks pregnant. Emilio blamed Maritza for their daughter's death, believing she had been abused by her stepfather or driven to suicide by her mother, although these theories were rejected by investigators.
During the interview, Maritza arrived at the cemetery, and the reporter, Ingrid Cruz, attempted to question her. Maritza remained silent, ignoring the reporter's persistent inquiries. Emilio, who had left the grave site, returned with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol and shot Maritza in the back of the head. He then continued to shoot her multiple times as she lay on the ground. The entire incident was captured on camera by the Telemundo crew, and the footage was later used in various documentaries.
Following the murder, Emilio fled the scene in his vehicle, leaving behind his current wife and her son. He was later apprehended and, in 2000, was found guilty of first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Emilio was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 25 years. Maritza's death left behind an 18-month-old son, and she was buried next to her daughter at the same cemetery where she was killed.
