Gage Park stabbings
| Gage Park stabbings | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gage Park, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°47′23″N 87°41′38″W / 41.7898°N 87.694°W |
| Date | Between February 2 and February 4, 2016 (CST) |
Attack type | Mass murder, stabbing, shooting |
| Weapons | Firearm, three knives |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Perpetrator | Unknown |
The Gage Park stabbings refers to the murders of six members of the Martinez family in the Gage Park neighborhood of Chicago.
On February 4, 2016, the bodies of Noe Martinez, his wife Rosaura, their son Noe Jr., their daughter Maria, and Maria's sons Leonardo and Alexi were discovered in the house at 5708 South California Avenue in Gage Park, Chicago, Illinois.[1][2][3] Five of the victims were stabbed to death and the sixth victim, Maria Martinez, was shot.
As of April 2016, no arrests have been made in relation to the case and the Chicago Police have no strong suspects.
Discovery of the bodies
Police were called to the home to perform a well-being check after a coworker of one of the victims, Noe Martinez Jr, expressed concern because the victim hadn't come to work since February 2. The bodies were discovered at around 1:05 p.m. on February 4[2] and quickly identified.[4] No one from the family had been seen since February 2.[3] Police initially stated that the events may have been a murder-suicide but have since ruled that all the deaths were homicides. Five of the victims were stabbed while the other one was shot.[5]
The bodies were scattered throughout the entire home, which has led investigators to believe there were multiple attackers. Five of the victims were stabbed and beaten while the sixth, Maria Martinez, was shot to death.[6]
Three different bladed weapons, believed to be knives, as well as a firearm, were used to commit the murders. However, none of the murder weapons were found, though a rifle was discovered in the house.[7]
Investigation
Police have not publicly named any suspects.[5] However, they do not believe that the killings were random and believe that the family was specifically targeted, with Maria Martinez most likely being the primary target as she was shot rather than stabbed.[8]
Police also believe that the family may have been mistaken for another family that was the actual target of the killer or killers.[9]
The family dog, Pelusa (Spanish for "fuzzy"), was found alive inside the house covered in blood and visibly shaken.[10] The Mexican Consulate of Chicago is working on getting the dog returned to family members in Mexico.[8]
Victims
- Noe Martinez Sr., 62
- Rosaura Martinez, 58, wife of Noe Martinez
- Noe Martinez Jr., 38, son of Noe and Rosaura Martinez
- Maria Herminia Martinez, 32, daughter of Noe and Rosaura Martinez
- Leonardo "Leo" Cruz, 13, son of Maria Martinez
- Alexis "Alexi" Cruz, 10, son of Maria Martinez
All of the victims were to be buried in Mexico. The Mexican Consulate of Chicago is assisting in moving the bodies to Mexico.[7]
References
- ↑ Goudie, Chuck. "SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS IN GAGE PARK: WHAT HAPPENED ON CALIFORNIA AVE?". abc7chicago.com. ABC. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- 1 2 Nickeas, Peter. "Five adults, 1 child found slain in Gage Park home". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- 1 2 Main, Frank. "5 adults, 1 child found slain in Gage Park home". suntimes.com. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "6 FOUND DEAD IN GAGE PARK". ABC.
- 1 2 Chachkevitch, Alexandra. "Deaths of all six victims in Gage Park ruled homicides by medical examiner". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
- ↑ Grimm, Andy. "Police think multiple killers involved in Gage Park massacre". chicago.suntimes.com. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
- 1 2 Relerford, Michelle. "3 Bladed Weapons, Gun Used in Gage Park Family Massacre". nbcchicago.com. NBC. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
- 1 2 "Chicago Police Leaning Toward Domestic Motive In Gage Park Massacre". cbslocal.com. CBS. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ↑ "FAMILY KILLED IN GAGE PARK MAY HAVE BEEN WRONGLY TARGETED, POLICE SAY". abc7chicago.com. ABC. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ↑ Williams-Harris, Deanese. "Family's dog Pelusa seems 'petrified' after Gage Park slayings". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 7, 2016.