In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C., the life of 35-year-old Durval Martins was tragically cut short. On December 16, 2008, at approximately 3:06 am, Martins was shot and killed at the intersection of 11th and Q Streets, NW. An officer on patrol about a block away reportedly heard the gunshots and, upon investigating, discovered Martins on the street with his wallet still in his hand. Paramedics were called, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to his family, Martins, a gay man, had been walking home from the bars on 17th Street near Dupont Circle. This was a departure from his usual routine of taking a cab. His twin brother, Pedro Martins, expressed the family's profound grief and shock, stating, 'I feel like part of my heart has died.' The family made a public appeal for any information that could lead to the identification of his killer, holding a news conference at a makeshift memorial at the site of the shooting.
Lit candles and hand-written messages were placed around a photo of Martins taped to a light pole.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch is investigating the case. Shortly after the shooting, an officer saw two young men running north on 11th Street. However, to date, no arrests have been publicly announced, and the police department continues to seek assistance from the public for any information regarding the incident. The case of who killed Durval Martins remains unresolved.
