On the night of May 12, 2023, a young Hispanic man named Kenny Martinez was shot and killed in the Portsmouth Neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. He was 21 years old at the time of his death, just a few weeks shy of his 22nd birthday. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of North Portsmouth Avenue. When officers from the North Precinct arrived at the scene, they discovered Martinez suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but tragically, he did not survive his injuries. The Medical Examiner later confirmed that the cause of death was a homicide by gunshot wound.
In the wake of his death, Kenny Martinez's family remembered him as a young and caring father who was an active part of his child's life. They shared a photograph of him with the public, requesting that it not be cropped to fully represent the person he was. Friends and community members expressed their grief, with one friend remembering him as having a "bright soul and always had a positive mindset." A former teacher recalled him as a smart and helpful student, expressing pride in the man he had become.
The investigation into the murder of Kenny Martinez continued for several months. Then, on September 13, 2023, the U.S. Marshals arrested a suspect in connection with the case. The individual taken into custody was 22-year-old Gerardo Obregon-Longares of Milwaukie, Oregon. Following his arrest, Obregon-Longares was handed over to Portland Police Bureau Homicide Unit detectives and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.
Gerardo Obregon-Longares faced multiple serious charges related to the death of Kenny Martinez and the events of that night. The charges included Murder in the Second Degree with a Firearm, two counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree with a Firearm, three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Following the arrest, the family of Kenny Martinez was notified, bringing a significant development to a case that had deeply affected their lives and the community.
