On the morning of Saturday, March 28, 2026, New Mexico State Police responded to a residence in Sapello, New Mexico, and found 31-year-old Elijah Martinez dead. He was pronounced deceased at the scene and investigators said evidence indicated the death was not from natural causes, prompting a homicide investigation.

Investigators identified Elijah’s older brother, 33-year-old Jaime Gilbert Martinez, as the primary suspect. Jaime reportedly fled northeast to the Denver metropolitan area, prompting a multi-state search that involved the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. On Sunday, March 29, 2026, a coordinated law enforcement operation in Lakewood, Colorado, including a SWAT response, ended with Jaime Martinez taken into custody.

Jaime Martinez was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence and was held in Colorado pending extradition to New Mexico. At the time of his death, Elijah Martinez was out on bail and awaiting trial on a separate 2024 murder charge.

Does anyone in Sapello or Lakewood have information about the days leading up to Elijah’s death or Jaime’s movements?