Martha A. Puebla was 16 when she was shot in the face while sitting outside her Los Angeles home in the San Fernando Valley on May 19, 2003. Members of the Vineland Boyz gang carried out the attack; Raul Robledo and Javier Covarrubias were later convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in her killing.

Days before the murder Martha had testified at a preliminary hearing for Jose Ledesma, another Vineland Boyz member, in relation to a 2002 shooting outside her house. Although she testified she did not see the shooter, detectives told Ledesma he had been identified by Martha, showing him a photo lineup with his picture circled and a forged signature attributed to her. Believing he had been named, Ledesma contacted associates from jail and instructed them to eliminate her, and Robledo carried out the killing.

Martha’s parents sued the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging the deceptive tactics and failure to warn or protect their daughter directly led to her death. The case raises questions about police practices and the protection of vulnerable witnesses. Did anyone in the neighborhood know or see anything that could shed further light on what happened that night?