An eight-year international manhunt has concluded with the extradition of a man accused of a brutal murder in California. Humberto Rodriguez Martinez, 39, was finally returned to the United States from Mexico to face justice for a killing that took place in 2017.
The Fatal Night in Anaheim
According to prosecutors, the events unfolded on October 17, 2017, in Anaheim. Martinez, then 30 and a Mexican citizen residing in the US illegally, had gone to his ex-girlfriend's apartment with a friend, Adan Zapot-Leyva, then 28. Their stated purpose was to watch the two children Martinez shared with his former partner while she went to work.
The pair left the apartment around 8:30 pm after the woman returned home. Approximately half an hour later, her new boyfriend, 32-year-old Daniel Reyes, arrived. The following morning, the situation turned deadly.
A Chilling Attack and a Lengthy Flight
Anaheim Police Department officers rushed to a nearby intersection after witnesses reported seeing two men chase down Reyes before one of them stabbed him repeatedly. Reyes suffered ten stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
While Zapot-Leyva was later apprehended, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2023, and was sentenced to 15 years to life, Martinez had already vanished. His car was found in San Diego, and a $2 million warrant was issued for his arrest, sparking a years-long search.
Justice Pursued Across Borders
The breakthrough came last month, thanks to a joint operation between Mexican authorities and the US Marshals Service. Martinez was located, and on December 4, he was extradited to Orange County. Upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport, he was taken into custody by Anaheim homicide detectives.
Court documents reveal a premeditated ambush. As part of his plea deal, Zapot-Leyva stated that he and Martinez had waited for hours, knowing Reyes would be at the apartment. They even deceived the ex-girlfriend with a call claiming they had left the area. The documents chillingly note that Reyes begged for his life during the attack, saying, "Please don't... I have children."
Martinez pleaded not guilty to murder on Tuesday and is being held without bail. Authorities have hailed the arrest as a testament to relentless pursuit.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer declared, "The pursuit of justice will never be derailed by time or distance. The long arm of Orange County law enforcement reaches to every corner of the earth." Anaheim Police Chief Manny Cid added that the arrest reinforces their unwavering promise to the community to see justice served.
