In the early morning hours of September 4, 2025, a 26-year-old man named Ronell Marte was walking home from his overnight shift at an Amazon warehouse. He chose to walk, a nearly 50-minute journey, because a previous attempted robbery on the train had left him feeling that traveling on foot was the safer option. That night, he took a shortcut through Starlight Park in the Bronx, a decision that placed him just five minutes from the safety of his home but tragically in the path of violence.
It was there, just before 3 a.m., that his life was cut short.
Ronell, who had autism and was diligently working toward his associate's degree, was described by his family as an innocent and gentle-hearted person. He was a source of pride for his family, being the first among them to graduate from college. His journey through the park that morning ended in a fatal encounter where he was robbed of his cellphone and shot once in the chest. A bicyclist passing through the park later discovered him and called for help. Emergency services rushed Ronell to Saint Barnabas Hospital, but his wound was too severe, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the senseless killing led police to two suspects. Authorities arrested 20-year-old Axel Martinez, the alleged shooter, on September 18. His accomplice, 19-year-old Luis Alberto Lopez Castillo, turned himself in to the 43rd Precinct a short time later. Investigators connected the pair to another gunpoint robbery that had occurred just 15 minutes before the attack on Ronell, merely half a mile away from the park.
The Bronx District Attorney's office announced that both Martinez and Castillo were indicted on multiple serious charges, including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon. Following their arraignments, both men were remanded and are scheduled to appear in court again on January 29, 2026, as the legal process to bring justice for Ronell Marte continues.
