On the night of September 13, 2024, 29-year-old Clinton Martin was driving home from his job as a manager at a Dollar General. As he was driving on the I-95 ramp to I-476 North in Ridley Township, near Crum-lynne, Pennsylvania, he was shot in the neck. The gunshot caused him to lose control of his vehicle, which then veered onto the shoulder of the highway and crashed into a disabled car. The tragic chain of events resulted in a second death.
Standing behind his parked Chevrolet Malibu on the shoulder of the road was 33-year-old Joshua Waltz of Odessa, Delaware. Waltz had pulled over after hitting debris in the road. Martin's vehicle struck Waltz, killing him. When Pennsylvania State Police arrived at the scene, they discovered Martin in his car with a gunshot wound and Waltz deceased under the vehicle. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident sparked a homicide investigation led by the Pennsylvania State Police. Martin's family, heartbroken and seeking answers, pleaded with the public for any information. His mother, Constance Newton, described him as a 'gentle giant' and a 'hard worker.' The police offered a reward that eventually grew to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.
After an extensive investigation, on December 9, 2024, the Pennsylvania State Police arrested 32-year-old Marquice N. Pierce of Chester. Pierce was charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and other offenses in connection with Clinton Martin's death. The arrest brought a sense of relief and the beginning of a path toward justice for Martin's grieving family.
