Abduction at an ATM: The Murder of Sophia Martinez

Explicit content warning

03/02/23 • 74 min

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Sophia Martinez, 18, headed out to a blind date on Friday, March 10, 2000. But she never made it to the dance club in downtown El Paso. Sophia’s body was found in the desert just north of the city limits the following day; she had been shot numerous times. The only clue to what happened was a grainy ATM surveillance video showing someone shooting her while she pulled cash. The man in a black beanie then climbed into her car and forced her to drive off at gunpoint. The months that followed were a terrifying time for her family as well as the community, as the killer remained at large. Police managed to track down her killer when a witness could no longer keep the dark secret.

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This is an update to the Borderland Crimes podcast episode 12: "A Murder Investigation, a Mistrial, and Misconduct Allegations."