CONCOURSE VILLAGE, Bronx — The Martinez family may finally see progress in the cold case of Wendy Martinez, who was fatally shot through the peephole of her Grand Concourse apartment door in November 2018. The murder, which shocked the neighborhood, remains unsolved, but a new tip could change that.
Family still seeking answers
Wendy Martinez was killed by a man dressed in black and carrying an umbrella, according to police reports from the time. The gunman was never apprehended, leaving her son, Alexander Angulo, to navigate major life milestones—college graduation, a new job, and the everyday challenges of adulthood—without closure.
“It was like a little rough, a little hard. Knowing all these years like not hearing anything about any updates on the case, but my family and I just put it in the hands of God and thankfully, something came up,” Angulo said.
Breakthrough tip from a grieving mother
Private investigator Manuel Gomez says he received a startling phone call from the mother of the alleged shooter. “The mother of the killer called me. She was on the phone crying and telling me that her son was the murderer of Wendy Martinez,” Gomez recounted.
Gomez recorded the mother’s confession and turned the audio over to the NYPD. After reviewing the new information, a detective contacted Angulo, explaining that the department had reached out to the crime lab to compare the suspect’s DNA—if it exists in the system—to DNA recovered from the umbrella handle left at the scene.
“Getting a clue like this out of nowhere was just… I didn’t know how to react. It was shocking,” Angulo said.
Possible motive still under investigation
At the time of the shooting, police suspected the gunman was targeting one of Martinez’s other sons in a gang‑related retaliation. That son was not home, and Martinez was killed after she answered the door. The investigation never confirmed a gang link, and the case went cold.
Now, with a potential witness and a possible DNA match, detectives hope to finally move the case forward. The NYPD has not yet confirmed whether the DNA test will produce a match, but the department says it will pursue every lead.
Family’s hope rests on justice
Angulo says his mother’s greatest wish was for her children to have a safe, prosperous future. “I just want to be successful for my mom. She was a hardworking lady. All she wanted was the best for me. I’m just trying to grant all the wishes she had,” he said.
Justice for Wendy Martinez remains the family’s primary goal. “One of those wishes is justice. I hope this new evidence leads to an arrest,” Angulo added.
Community response
The Bronx community, still remembering the tragic night, has expressed solidarity with the Martinez family. Local churches and neighborhood groups have offered prayers and support, underscoring the importance of faith and family in times of loss.
As the investigation proceeds, residents are urged to contact the NYPD with any additional information that could aid the case. The department’s homicide unit continues to work closely with the private investigator and the family to bring closure to a case that has haunted the Grand Concourse for nearly a decade.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
