Jose Martinez-Medina, a 30-year-old Hispanic man, was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of a dispute in Waco, Texas. His life was cut short in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 5, 2022.
The incident began with multiple fistfights inside The Warehouse, a bar located on Austin Avenue. The altercation soon spilled out into the street, where the conflict escalated dramatically. At least one person began firing a weapon into the crowd, striking multiple people. Mr.
Martinez-Medina, who was not involved in the brawls, was fatally shot. Another person was also injured by the gunfire.
Waco Police Department investigators began piecing together the chaotic events using surveillance footage from the area. They quickly identified a suspect, Ryan Austin Trejo, then 24 years old, and arrested him. Trejo was charged with the murder of Mr. Martinez-Medina. During the investigation, detectives discovered that multiple witnesses had recorded the initial fights on their cell phones. Authorities issued a public plea for anyone with video evidence to come forward to help clarify the events that led to the shooting.
The case against Trejo proceeded for nearly two years before taking a significant turn. Prosecutors determined it would be difficult to prove who fired the fatal shot that killed Mr. Martinez-Medina. According to Trejo’s attorneys, enhanced surveillance video showed him being assaulted by four men outside the bar and attempting to retreat before the shooting, but a gap in the footage obscured the critical moments when the shots were fired.
In August 2023, prosecutors dropped the murder charge against Trejo. Instead, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of aggravated assault and unlawfully carrying a weapon in a prohibited place. These charges stemmed from a separate altercation inside the bar, prior to the shooting, where Trejo had displayed a pistol. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for each count, to be served concurrently, and will be eligible for parole after four years. As of that month, the murder of Jose Martinez-Medina remains unsolved. Police have asked anyone with information to call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (254) 753-4357, with a reward of up to $2,000 offered for information leading to an arrest.
