Man charged with double homicide in Santa Fe claims self-defense

The suspect in Monday night’s double homicide in Santa Fe told police he shot both people in self-defense.

Manuel Martinez, 23, of Santa Fe is charged with two open counts of murder and two counts of resisting and obstructing an officer and one count of tampering with evidence in the deaths of Ebony Martinez, 23, and Abraham Romo, 19.

It is unknown if Manual Martinez and Ebony Martinez are related.

Manuel Martinez is being held at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center.

“It’s very early,” Martinez’s attorney, Jennifer Burrill said. “We have very little evidence at this point.”

According to a statement of probable cause filed at Santa Fe County Magistrate Court, a police bodycam recorded the suspect telling officers he shot Romo and Ebony Martinez after they “tried to kill me” during an alleged gun deal.

Manuel Martinez, according to court records, is on pretrial release in a Sept. 22 arrest in which he allegedly pointed a lighter that looked like a handgun at a store employee and was found with cocaine on him.

Court records show prosecutors did not file a motion to detain Manuel Martinez and he was released until trial on Sept. 24.

In 2023, an unlawful carrying of a firearm charge against Manuel Martinez was dismissed due to a Santa Fe officer’s “failure to prosecute” the case, according to court records.

Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber said in a social media post that something needs to be done about repeat violent offenders “and we need to do it now.”

On Monday night, Santa Fe police were responding to an unrelated call around 11 p.m. when an officer spotted an SUV in a ditch in the 3000 block of Siringo, near Cerrillos Road, according to the statement. Manuel Martinez was found standing near the crashed SUV and ran from police.

Police said Manuel Martinez had blood on his arms and a leg while holding clothes and a handgun, which he later dropped when police caught up to him. After arresting Manuel Martinez, police found the bodies of Ebony Martinez and Romo inside the SUV.

Ebony had “at least one gunshot wound to the head” and cash in her hand, while Romo also had “at least one gunshot” wound, according to the statement of probable cause. Manuel Martinez told officers he met up with the pair “because they wanted to buy a gun from him.”

Police said Manuel Martinez told them that he took the firearm from Romo and Ebony Martinez because “they put the child lock on me” and “tried to kill me.” Martinez told police. “They shot; I took the gun. They tried to get the gun and I shot them. That is what happened.”