In the early morning hours of June 22, 2021, the life of 30-year-old Eliezer Martinez, Jr., a male resident of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was tragically cut short. Police responded to a call of shots fired on the 400 block of Elizabeth Avenue shortly before 1:30 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Martinez and another man with serious injuries from gunshot wounds. Both men were rushed to local hospitals for medical attention.
Martinez was taken to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 2:00 a.m. The second victim was transported to University Hospital in Newark, where he was treated for his injuries and later released. The investigation that followed was a collaborative effort involving the Union County Homicide Task Force, the Elizabeth Police Department, the Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit, and the Union County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit.
The investigation into the fatal shooting led to the apprehension of three individuals from Elizabeth. Isaiah Turner, who was 17 at the time of the incident, along with 19-year-old Kadir Epps and 20-year-old Nasir Semmons, were arrested and charged for their involvement in the death of Eliezer Martinez, Jr. Despite their ages, both Turner and Epps were tried as adults in the Criminal Part of the Law Division. The legal proceedings culminated on May 19, 2023, when all three men were sentenced for their roles in the violent encounter that ended a man's life.
Isaiah Turner was sentenced to 15 years in State Prison for Aggravated Manslaughter, with a stipulation that he must serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Nasir Semmons received an 8-year sentence in State Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault, also with an 85% parole ineligibility. Kadir Epps was sentenced to 5 years in State Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and is required to serve a minimum of 42 months before he can be considered for parole. The sentencing brought a measure of closure to the case, though it could not undo the events of that tragic night.
