Tag Archives: Gage Park

Police: 3 ‘edge weapons’ used in Gage Park family massacre

(CHICAGO) Chicago Police believe three “edge weapons” were used in a bloody massacre of a family last week in Gage Park, a department spokesman said Wednesday.

Last Thursday, Maria Herminia Martinez, 32, was found shot to death in her home. Her sons, Leonardo Cruz, 13, and Alexis Cruz, 10, died of “sharp force” injuries, the Sun-Times is reporting.

The boys’ grandfather, Noe Martinez Sr., 62, also died of sharp force injuries, and his wife, Rosaura, 58, and their son, Noe Martinez Jr., 38, died of a combination of sharp and blunt force injuries, the medical examiner’s office said.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said autopsy results indicated three edge weapons — knives or other cutting instruments — were used in the slayings.

A long gun was recovered from the home, but is not thought to have been used in Maria Herminia Martinez’s shooting, Guglielmi said.

The father of the boys is traveling from Mexico to Chicago for the family’s funeral, Guglielmi said. The government of Mexico has offered its assistance in the case, if needed, he said.

Consulate official Marcelino Miranda told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the U.S. granted Manuel Armando Cruz a humanitarian visa. He was expected to arrive late Wednesday and attend Sunday funeral services. The six bodies would be buried later in Mexico.

Guglielmi added that authorities know the father wasn’t in the U.S. at the time, according to AP. He said Cruz isn’t a suspect but that authorities are speaking to everyone they can for any clues.

Police have downloaded “hours of video” taken from CTA buses and a surveillance camera on a light pole at 57th and California, Guglielmi said. They’re reviewing the video for any evidence linked to the murders, he said.

Police have not provided a possible motive for the killings, but have said they don’t think the family was randomly targeted.

Police review videos in search for clues in Gage Park killings

(CHICAGO) Chicago Police are reviewing security videos taken on CTA buses and have downloaded video from a camera on a light pole at 57th and California for evidence that might lead to the killer of a family of six in Gage Park, a department spokesman said Tuesday.

Detectives routinely look for video surveillance for potential leads in killings, CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. “This isn’t anything unusual,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times.

On Thursday, Maria Herminia Martinez, 32, was found shot to death in her home. Her sons, Leonardo Cruz, 13, and Alexis Cruz, 10, died of “sharp force” injuries.

The boys’ grandfather, Noe Martinez Sr., 62, also died of sharp force injuries, and his wife Rosaura, 58, and their son, Noe Martinez Jr., 38, died of a combination of sharp and blunt force injuries, the medical examiner’s office said.

Police said the family was “targeted” but have not provided a motive. The doors were locked, nothing was taken, and the house wasn’t ransacked, police said.

The house in the 5700 block of South California is a few doors from the light-pole camera.

The bodies were discovered in what police called “a bloody mess” after a co-worker called 911 to report that Noe Martinez Jr. hadn’t shown up for his job washing windows at O’Hare Airport for the previous two days.

Robbery and vehicular hijacking reported in Gage Park

(CHICAGO) Police are warning Gage Park residents of robbery and vehicular hijacking incidents last month.

In the two incidents, one to three people approaches the victim, shows a handgun and demands property or their vehicle, Area Central detectives said in a community alert.

The incidents happened at 12:30 a.m. April 10 in the 5100 block of South California and 11:30 p.m. April 25 in the 5300 block of South Mozart, police said.

The robbers are described as Hispanic men with medium complexions, between 18 and 30 years old and weighing between 140 and 160 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (312) 747-8382.