In the first minutes of July 4, 2025, 32-year-old Black male, Martez L. Jones Jr., a man, was outside a business along the 1900 block of West Bradley Avenue in Champaign when multiple shots rang out. Police were called at 12:36 a.m. to reports of gunfire; while officers searched for shell casings and witnesses, Martez L. Jones Jr., 32, a man, arrived at a nearby hospital by personal transport in critical condition. He was rushed into emergency surgery but did not survive. The Champaign County Coroner later recorded that Martez L. Jones Jr., 32, a man, was pronounced dead at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana at 2:10 a.m. on July 4. Early accounts also noted damage to several vehicles at the scene as detectives fanned out to canvass the area and request surveillance footage from nearby businesses and homes.
As the holiday morning unfolded, investigators pieced together that the shooting occurred outside the business and that the person responsible fled immediately after the burst of gunfire. Initial police updates described the victim as a Champaign man, while the coroner and obituary notices listed him as a resident of Urbana, a detail that underscored how swiftly the case was developing across neighboring cities tied together by one night's violence. By day's end, detectives emphasized the case remained open and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Within two weeks, an arrest reshaped the investigation. On July 17, officers located 37-year-old Rynell Frazier of Urbana in Merrillville, Indiana, and took him into custody on a warrant issued July 4. Authorities said evidence indicated that Frazier fired multiple shots outside the business, striking Martez L. Jones Jr., 32, a man, before fleeing; police also noted several vehicles were hit during the incident. Plans were made to return Frazier to Champaign County for arraignment as the case moved from the frantic search phase to the methodical steps of prosecution.
News releases and local coverage echoed the same central facts: a Fourth of July gathering interrupted by gunfire, a frantic ride to the hospital, and a suspect found across state lines days later. Even after the arrest, investigators stressed that the work was unfinished, pressing for additional witnesses and video. In the community tributes that followed, listings and memorial pages fixed the date and place—July 4, 2025, in Champaign—and the name that would not be forgotten: Martez L. Jones Jr., 32, a man.
