On the morning of November 23, 2025, deputies from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a home at 8810 Boylston Road in Colfax, North Carolina, after a report of gunfire around 7:49 a.m. When they entered the residence, they found 47-year-old Derrick Lamont Leach, a male dead from what was described as an apparent gunshot wound. His home, in the Colfax area of Guilford County but associated with the Greensboro community, was the place where he had built a life surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors, and his death immediately prompted a homicide investigation by local authorities.
Investigators quickly identified 27-year-old Jose Cristian Bravo-Martinez as the suspected shooter and learned that he was believed to be driving a stolen vehicle. A few hours after the killing, around 10:15 a.m., patrol deputies spotted the suspect and attempted a traffic stop, which led to a brief vehicle pursuit before he was taken into custody. Authorities say Bravo-Martinez is now facing a slate of serious charges connected to Leach’s death, including felony first-degree murder, felony possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of felony robbery with a deadly weapon, felony fleeing to elude arrest, and several misdemeanor traffic offenses such as reckless driving, speeding, and driving without a valid license. He is being held without bond at the Guilford County Detention Center in High Point, with court records indicating an initial appearance scheduled for the afternoon of November 24, 2025.
Court and media reports further indicate that prosecutors have linked Bravo-Martinez to another homicide in Guilford County: the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Joaquin Gabriel Hernandez in Greensboro on November 16, 2025, one week before Leach was killed. In Leach’s case, prosecutors told a judge that three witnesses saw the shooting inside the Boylston Road home. After the gunfire, Bravo-Martinez allegedly took the witnesses’ cell phones and demanded a vehicle key at gunpoint before fleeing in a 2004 Toyota Celica, which deputies later located at a gas station just after 10 a.m., leading to his arrest following the short chase. Although investigators have publicly outlined the sequence of events and the charges, they have not yet disclosed a detailed motive or the precise nature of the relationship, if any, between Leach and the accused shooter. Officials have emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the wider community but continue to encourage anyone with additional information to contact detectives or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers.
Beyond the investigative facts, Leach’s death has reverberated deeply through Greensboro and Colfax. Local tributes and memorial pieces describe him as a kind, loyal, and steady presence—someone known for his generosity, supportive nature, and willingness to help neighbors and friends without hesitation. Friends and family members recall his warm smile, calm demeanor, and the way his home on Boylston Road served as a gathering place filled with laughter, conversation, and everyday moments that now feel immeasurably precious. Online memorials and community posts speak of a man who made others feel seen and valued, whose loss has left a significant void in the lives he touched. As the criminal case against the accused shooter moves forward and investigators work to fully reconstruct what happened that Sunday morning, those who knew Leach are focusing on honoring his memory through vigils, shared stories, and ongoing expressions of grief and love.
