Maria Herminia Martinez, a 32-year-old Hispanic woman, was tragically murdered on February 2, 2016, in the Gage Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Her death was part of a horrific incident where six members of the Martinez family were brutally killed in their home. Maria Herminia Martinez was found in an upstairs bedroom, kneeling with her head slumped on an end table. She had been shot four times in the head and had gunshot wounds to each of her hands.
The autopsy revealed that she was shot to death.
The investigation into the murders revealed that the killings were motivated by money. Diego Uribe Cruz, a relative of the Martinez family, and his girlfriend, Jafeth Ramos, were charged with the murders. Uribe Cruz, 22, and Ramos, 19, were both charged with six counts of first-degree murder and six counts of armed robbery. Prosecutors detailed how Uribe Cruz killed all six victims, including Maria Herminia Martinez, by shooting her during an argument. The couple fled the home with only cash, a piggy bank of change, a video game console, and some jewelry, which they later pawned for about $700.
The crime scene was discovered on February 4, 2016, when police conducted a well-being check after Noe Martinez Jr., Maria Herminia Martinez's brother, failed to show up for work for two consecutive days. The police found the bodies of the six family members, including Maria Herminia Martinez, who had been beaten, stabbed, and shot. The investigation revealed that the killings took place on February 2, 2016, two days before the bodies were discovered.
The case against Uribe Cruz and Ramos was built on DNA evidence, including fingernail scrapings from Maria Herminia Martinez that matched Uribe Cruz's DNA. The couple was held without bail, and the judge described their actions as "pure evil." The murders of the Martinez family shocked the community and left relatives and friends devastated.
