Suspect charged for the year’s first murder

Leon Gomez

And in a development on the year’s first murder on January eighteenth: it has been two weeks since twenty-seven year old Salvador Martinez was fatally stabbed while trying to stop a fight between his friends and three other men. The murder took place during a football game between Nazarene and Ladyville Technical high schools at the M.C.C. Grounds. In the aftermath, school principals and sporting officials claimed that police presence at the games has always been lacking, despite numerous requests. But while the lack of security remains a huge problem, police say they have the person they believe delivered the fatal stabs… and it’s eighteen year old Leon Gomez. The Oleander Street resident was taken to Magistrates’ Court this morning to be charged with Martinez’ Murder and Wounding of Jevon Aranda Junior, who was injured in the melee. Magistrate Aretha Ford explained to Gomez that no plea would be taken, but that a preliminary inquiry will be scheduled to determine whether there is enough evidence against him for the case to be elevated to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, Gomez has secured a space in the Hattieville prison until March sixteenth. In the early stages of police investigations, three persons were detained; ages fifteen, sixteen and eighteen. But they were released due to insufficient evidence.