On June 28, 2015, Franklin Martinez, a 26-year-old male of Hispanic ethnicity, was found dead on the side of the northbound entrance ramp to Interstate 85 from Redwood Road in Durham, NC. He had been shot three times and was last seen alive at Sabor Latino Night Club in Durham. The Durham County Sheriff's Office identified Martinez's body and launched an investigation into his death.
The investigation led to the arrest of Edu Antonio Varela-Lopez, also known as Tony Ochoa, who was
charged with first-degree murder in connection with Martinez's death. Varela-Lopez was found hiding at a construction site in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was apprehended by local law enforcement before being extradited to North Carolina. He also faced a 2014 charge of possession of a concealed handgun.
The arrest of Varela-Lopez brought some closure to the case, but the family of Franklin Martinez continues to seek justice and healing from the tragic loss. The community and law enforcement agencies remain committed to ensuring that those responsible for such crimes are held accountable.
