Jack Martinez Murder – A juvenile stabbed to death Jack Martinez, a 29-year-old soldier from Fort Carson, Colorado, in the parking lot of a restaurant. Joe Kenda of Investigation Discovery’s Homicide Hunter investigates the case to learn more about what happened on that terrible day.
Paul Chase Jr., 17, of Denver, Colorado, and his pals travelled to Colorado Springs on April 20, 1984, to compete in KIIQ radio’s break-dance event at the Municipal Auditorium, where they all got blue ribbons. Before leaving to New York, Chase allegedly stabbed Martinez and Castellanos. Chase was charged with murder in the first degree and a violent felony.
Authorities in Colorado Springs, Colorado, arrived to find Jack Martinez stabbed to death in the parking lot of a local fast-food restaurant after receiving information about a violent fight. Rudy Castellanos, Jack’s companion who managed to flee with fewer life-threatening injuries, promptly referred the authorities to a suspect.
- Homicide Hunter
- The Uninvited Guest
- Season 8 Episode 18
‘Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda: The Uninvited Guest,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, examines Jack’s murder and reveals how the police connected the crime to a dancing competition before apprehending the true murderer. Let’s take a closer look at the circumstances of the case and see where Jack’s killer is right now.
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What Caused Jack Martinez’s Death?
Jack Martinez, 29, was a soldier in the United States Army and was stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado, at the time of his murder. While Jack kept a tight relationship with his family during his assignment, his Fort Carson coworkers described him as a compassionate and caring man. He was also quite kind, and aside from greeting everyone with a smile, Jack was always willing to provide a helping hand. As a result, it was a sad day when such a lovely human being was taken from this world in a rage-fueled act.
Authorities received word of a violent altercation in the parking lot of a Burger King restaurant at 375 South Academy Boulevard approximately 1:30 a.m. on April 20, 1984. First responders arrived on the scene to discover Jack Martinez unconscious on the ground. He was dripping blood and had been stabbed, according to a first assessment.
While an autopsy eventually confirmed that Jack died as a result of stab wounds, detectives discovered that one of his coworkers, 25-year-old Sgt. Rudy Castellanos, was also stabbed. Fortunately, Rudy escaped the encounter with minor injuries and was promptly taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Who Killed Jack Martinez and Why?
Despite the fact that there were few leads, the police had a huge edge in the investigation. While fellow soldier Rudy Castellanos was stabbed to death in front of a crowd of people, he was also attacked by the same perpetrator and got to get a good look at him. As a result, once Rudy had recovered from his injuries, police paid him a visit and were able to obtain a full description of the culprit as well as a facial sketch.
They also discovered that the attacker’s group was all dressed in black shirts with a blue ribbon attached to their chests. The blue ribbon turned out to be a huge clue, as investigators discovered that a similar ribbon was given away during KIIQ radio’s break-dance event on April 20 at the Colorado Heights municipal hall.
According to the show, law enforcement investigators went straight to the organisers and were directed to Hector Garcia, one of the participants that night. When detectives questioned Hector, he said he was aware of the occurrence but asserted that Peter Chavez was the one who killed Jack Martinez.
Unfortunately, Peter had already fled to New York at that time, but the police were eventually able to apprehend the culprit following a two-day manhunt. Following that, authorities retrieved Peter’s jeans from the night of the murder, and when the blood on them matched Jack’s, Peter Chavez was arrested and charged with murder.
What Has Happened to Peter Chavez and Where Is He Now?
In 1984, Peter Chavez was convicted guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in jail after being brought to court. Despite the fact that he has since been released, Peter wishes to remain anonymous and has no social media profile. As a result, determining his current location is very impossible.