After months of remaining elusive, a man wanted for two murders in Florida has been captured, following the deaths of two people.
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, 26-year-old Enrique Martinez was caught in the Eagle Lake area, off State Road 540 and Cooley Road, “casually walking on the sidewalk.”
“We have searched around the clock for Enrique,” Judd said, according to Tampa 10 News. “And here he appears just wandering down the sidewalk.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Martinez is accused of killing 20-year-old Sierra Hernandez, who was reported missing by her family over a week ago. Police recovered her body shortly after.
Judd added that investigators believe Hernandez was killed several days before her family reported her missing.
Martinez, also known as “Kiki,” was already wanted on a first-degree murder charge in connection to a November 2023 homicide. The incident involved Edil Fernando Rodriguez Jr.’s death at a homeless camp on 2nd Eloise Terrace in Winter Haven.
Martinez’s arrest happened a day after Judd’s news conference. Judd said during the conference that friends and family could be hiding Martinez, which made it difficult to make an arrest.
“Why has he been difficult to find? He’s been difficult to find because family and friends have been hiding him,” Judd said before the arrest.
“We ask you in the community to say, ‘How many more people does he have to murder before we give the sheriff’s office some tips so that they can take him into custody?’”
Judd added numerous people have already been arrested in connection with hiding the defendant.
“We had put so much pressure on his friends and his family. We made several arrests of people who harbored him or transported him to get him away from us that he was too hot to handle for even his friends and his family,” Judd said.
The defendant was processed and booked Tuesday evening. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Sierra Hernandez/Polk County Sheriff’s Office]
