Gina Martin, a 36-year-old Black woman, was a kind and generous mother who lived in Colorado but considered Las Vegas her home. She returned to the city in the summer of 2024 for a happy occasion: a pool party to celebrate her upcoming 37th birthday with her friends and family, including her 18-year-old son. Her friends said she didn't often celebrate herself, but this year she was excited to do so.
That celebration was cut tragically short on the afternoon of Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Around 12:30 p.m., Gina and her boyfriend, Brian Marshall, were at an Avis car rental facility on West Sahara Avenue to pick up a vehicle. As they walked to their car, they were confronted by Gina’s ex-fiancé, 37-year-old Frederick Lee Blanche Jr. The confrontation quickly turned violent when Blanche pulled out a gun and opened fire. The attack, captured on surveillance video, showed Marshall being shot multiple times as he tried to run back into the rental office for help. Gina also attempted to flee but fell to the ground. Blanche then stood over her and fired more shots. First responders found Gina with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced her dead at the scene. Marshall was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and underwent emergency surgery.
In the months and years leading up to the attack, Blanche had reportedly become obsessed with Gina after she ended their relationship in 2022. Friends reported a pattern of harassment, including incessant phone calls and threats against her life. On the day of the murder, Blanche seemed to be tracking her through social media. Just two hours before the shooting, he called Gina’s brother, Sean Martin, and directly threatened to kill his sister. Sean tried to de-escalate the situation, but Blanche ominously said he would show up at her birthday party. Sean was tragically unable to reach his sister to warn her. Shortly after she was killed, he received a text from Blanche that read, “She’s gone.”
After the shooting, Blanche fled the scene in his white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Authorities tracked his phone to Buckeye, Arizona, where he was arrested the following day, August 4th. He was extradited back to Las Vegas and charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon and attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon.
In December 2025, Frederick Blanche Jr. reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder. At his sentencing hearing, Blanche expressed remorse for his actions, while Gina's family spoke of the devastating and permanent impact of her loss. On January 15, 2026, District Court Judge Tierra Jones sentenced Blanche to 24 years to life in prison.
