Homicide Notebook Project

Homicide #5

INCLUDING ARREST UPDATE

UPDATE: Police identify man found dead near First Avenue and Wetmore

A man was found dead at an apartment complex early Friday, Jan. 21.(WOWT 6 NEWS)

By KOLD News 13 Staff

Published: Jan. 21, 2022 at 2:33 PM MST|Updated: 23 hours ago

ORIGINAL RELEASE: Tucson police are investigating the slaying of a man on Tucson's north side Friday morning. Before 9 a.m., officers were called to the 800 block of East Wetmore Road, near First Avenue, where they found a man with obvious signs of trauma, police said. He died from his injuries. No further information was immediately available. 

UPDATED INFORMATION:

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Police have identified a man who was found dead early Friday, Jan. 21. According to information from the Tucson Police Department, 48-year-old Rafael Martinez was found in an apartment complex’s common area with obvious signs of trauma. Police said he had a confrontation with another person at the complex in the 800 block of East Wetmore Road, near North First Avenue.Martinez was taken to Banner University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

There are no suspects in custody, and detectives are asking anyone with information to call 88-CRIME. You can remain anonymous.

ARREST UPDATE

Tucson police have arrested a man in connection with a homicide that happened last week on the city’s north side.

Daniel Noel Rodriguez, 23, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and is being held at the Pima County Jail, police said.

On Jan. 21, police were called to the 800 block of East Wetmore Road, near North First Avenue, where they found Rafael Martinez, 48, with obvious signs of trauma.

Martinez was taken to Banner-University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, police said.

Detectives learned that Martinez and Rodriguez had met earlier in the day and went to an apartment complex where they became involved in a physical confrontation, police said.

Rodriguez was identified as a suspect after further review of forensic evidence and follow-up interviews, police said. He was arrested on Jan. 27.

Daniel Noel Rodriguez

Courtesy of Tucson Police Department