Do you know who killed Toyreia \Toya\ Sonea Martin in 1995?
In the early morning hours of June 22, 1995, the sound of gunshots echoed through a northeast Portland neighborhood, prompting calls to the police. Officers who responded to the 500 block of NE Ivy Street around 4:00 a.m. conducted a search but found nothing out of the ordinary and left the scene. The quiet that followed belied the violence that had taken place inside the home of 21-year-old Toyreia “Toya” Sonea Martin, an African-American woman. It wasn't until about 7:30 a.m. that the grim reality of the situation came to light. A neighbor noticed that Toyreia's residence was riddled with bullet holes and immediately contacted the authorities.
When police entered the home at 526 NE Ivy Street, they discovered a tragic scene. Toyreia Martin was found deceased in her own bed. An autopsy later confirmed that she had died from multiple gunshot wounds to her torso. The investigation into her death would reveal a life that had connections to the city's criminal underworld. Investigators learned that Martin had a criminal record and was known to have affiliations with local gangs, leading them to believe her murder was likely gang-related.
Despite this promising lead and the clear evidence of a violent crime, the investigation into Toyreia Martin's murder has stretched on for decades without a resolution. No suspects have ever been publicly named, and no arrests have been made in connection with her death. Her case is now considered a cold case, one of the many unsolved homicides in the city of Portland. The Portland Police Bureau continues to seek information from the public, and a cash reward is available for tips that lead to an arrest, but for now, the question of who killed Toyreia Martin remains unanswered.
