In the morning hours of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, a verbal argument between two men outside a Sacramento County apartment complex tragically escalated, ending the life of 28-year-old Pete Guadalupe Martinez. The dispute, which took place at a complex on the 4000 block of South Watt Avenue in the Rosemont area, quickly turned into a physical fight. It was during this altercation that a single gunshot echoed, leaving Martinez critically wounded.
First responders were summoned to the scene
around 9:45 a.m. after a caller reported hearing two shots and seeing a man had been shot. Deputies arrived to find Martinez and immediately rendered medical aid. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The shooter had already fled the scene in a vehicle, sparking an intensive search and a homicide investigation.
Homicide detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office quickly took over the case. Through their investigation, they were able to identify 29-year-old Ricardo Hernandez as the suspect in the fatal shooting. An arrest warrant was issued, and detectives located and arrested Hernandez the following day.
Ricardo Hernandez was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he faces charges of murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. According to authorities, he is being held without the possibility of bail. In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign was organized to help Pete Martinez's family with the unexpected funeral and memorial expenses.
