On a grim morning in October 2023, the quiet of a Williamsport, Maryland community was shattered by a 911 call that would unravel a domestic tragedy. Joann Kay Martz, a 66-year-old woman, was found deceased in her home on Cedar Ridge Road from apparent gunshot wounds. The call to emergency services was made by her husband, 73-year-old David Martz Jr., who informed the dispatcher that he had shot his wife.
This chilling confession set in motion a homicide investigation led by the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Upon their arrival at the residence, deputies took David Martz Jr. into custody without incident. Inside, they discovered the body of his wife, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The subsequent investigation led to significant charges being filed against David Martz Jr. He faces accusations of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment. Following his arrest, he was transported to Central Booking for processing.
The case has since moved into the legal system, where the full details of the events that transpired on that October morning will be brought to light. The community has been left to grapple with the shocking loss of a neighbor and the deeply unsettling circumstances of her death. As the legal proceedings against David Martz Jr. continue, those who knew Joann Kay Martz await justice and a deeper understanding of what led to this violent end to her life.
