On April 4, 2023, at about 11:45 a.m., 24-year-old Kovonta Terreal Martin was found with a gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Westchester Woods Apartments on Little Drive in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was taken to a local hospital but died of his injuries. The incident, which included the theft of Martin’s vehicle, was the first homicide reported in Kalamazoo that year.

Martin had moved to Kalamazoo from Benton Harbor at age nine and was described as a father and a business owner, remembered for his vibrant energy and contagious smile. The investigation continued for months and in December 2023 authorities announced arrests of three men in connection with the shooting; those arrests were linked to allegations that the killing occurred during a robbery and carjacking.

If anyone knew Martin or has information about the April 4, 2023 shooting or the vehicle theft, please come forward to assist the ongoing inquiry.