UPDATE: July 22 at 12:15 p.m.
Rowan County Detention Center officials confirmed with LEX 18 that Gildardo Amador Martinez, who is accused of shooting and killing 15-year-old Luis Jocsan Nuñez Lopez, has a federal immigration detainer.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigration detainer is a request from ICE that asks a federal, state or local law enforcement agency to notify the requesting agency before the release of a reported immigrant.
ICE added that the detainer asks the agency to hold the individual for up to 48 hours beyond their release date, allowing DHS time to "assume custody in accordance with federal immigration law."
A Rowan County lieutenant on duty told LEX 18 that Martinez would have to go through all court proceedings for his current charges before ICE could take him into custody.
On Tuesday afternoon, Representative Andy Barr confirmed that citizenship statues of Martinez, stating in a social media post on X:
"I’ve confirmed that this murderer was here illegally. Crimes like this horrific murder are EXACTLY why I’ve voted to support President Trump and fund the largest deportation operation in American history. I won’t stop fighting to seal our border."
UPDATE: July 21 at 9:30 a.m.
A filed citation revealed additional information on the shooting that occurred in Morehead that resulted in the death of a teen and the arrest of Gildardo Amador Martinez for murder.
According to the citation, at around 4:15 a.m. on Sunday, Morehead police were dispatched to a home, located on West Sun Street, regarding a woman that had been shot and was taken to the hospital, along with another possible victim in the home.
Upon arrival, an officer reported that Chief Belvins confirmed there was a dead man inside the home and noted that the victim "appeared to be young." Belvins added that a woman, "possibly a juvenile," had also been shot and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, the citation read.
Once officials reportedly cleared the scene, the officer entered the home and, according to the citation, he found a man, later identified as 15-year-old Luis Jocsan Nuñez Lopez, in the corner of the living room. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the Rowan County coroner.
The citation reported that Lopez had "what appeared to be gunshot wound to the left side of his face." In addition, the citation read that what appeared to be a pistol cartridge was lying next to Lopez, and bullet holes were seen in the door that he was lying next to.
Lopez's mom reportedly told officers that before she came home from work Saturday night, she saw her boyfriend, identified in the citation as Martinez, in his vehicle with a friend at a bar nearby her work. She stated to police that Martinez arrived home and woke her up. She then reported to police that Martinez became angry when she refused his advances and he allegedly "bit her left hand and right armpit just above her breast," the citation read.
The mother told police that her son opened her bedroom door after she screamed and told Martinez to stop. She stated to police that Martinez got dressed and grabbed a suitcase and she asked him to leave. She added that Martinez was seen with a black pistol in his hand. The victim told police that as he was leaving, he allegedly shot through the door three times, hitting her son, the citation reported.
She added to police that she grabbed her 1-year-old son and ran. The citation reported that she had difficulty getting out of the home as her son's body was lying in front of the door. She reportedly told her teen daughter to run and when the mother got outside, she realized she hadn't grabbed her 3-year-old.
She ran back inside the home to grab the child and reportedly told her daughter to run again. The mother told police that she heard more gunshots as she left the home and Martinez was seen running out of the home behind her and he then allegedly fled the scene.
On Sunday, police reported that Martinez was arrested in connection to the shooting and he has been charged with murder, first-degree assault, and first-degree rape.
UPDATE: July 20 at 8:30 p.m.
The victim has been identified as 15-year-old Luis Jocsan Nuñez Lopez.
According to the Rowan County Coroner's Office, Joscan would have been starting his sophomore year at Rowan County Senior High School.
This is an ongoing investigation.
UPDATE: July 20 at 3:00 p.m.
One juvenile is dead and another injured following an early morning shooting Sunday in Morehead, according to the Morehead Police Department.
Morehead police officers responded to reports of a shooting around 2:30 a.m. in the West Sun Street area, and upon arrival, officers found two juveniles suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second juvenile victim was taken to UK St. Claire Regional Medical Center and then later transferred to UK Hospital in Lexington for further treatment, police say.
Police add that following a brief search of the area, officers took Gildardo Martinez into custody and charged him with murder, first-degree assault, and attempted rape.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities say they are not releasing additional details at this time. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Morehead Police Department.
Original Story:
A 15-year-old male was found dead early Sunday morning at a home in Morehead, according to the Rowan County Coroner's Office.
The Rowan County Coroner pronounced the teen dead at 5:25 a.m. and said that a man had been arrested by the Morehead Police Department and taken to the Rowan County Detention Center. Authorities have stated there is no known threat to the public at this time.
The investigation remains active and is being led by Morehead Police Department Detective and the Rowan County Coroner.
