Four face murder charge in Española teen’s death

A Rio Arriba County grand jury has indicted four people on first-degree murder charges in connection with the recent shooting death of 18-year-old Cameron Martinez of Española, which authorities have described as a case of mistaken identity.

Police have said seven young people, some of them minors, were involved in the incident in which a group of people in two separate cars opened fire on a car carrying Martinez and three friends. Martinez was killed and the other occupants sustained gunshot wounds.

Those charged with first-degree murder include a woman who did not fire a weapon and a 17-year-old boy.

According to initial police reports the shooters were armed and ready to fire their weapons under instruction by Mark Hice, 22, who said he had been receiving threats online. The shooters targeted the vehicle carrying Martinez by accident, Hice has told police.

In addition to the first-degree murder, Hice faces counts of conspiracy, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence.

The grand jury also brought the same charges against Anton Martinez, a 19-year-old who was riding in the same vehicle as Hice and is suspected of firing his weapon once.

Brittany Garcia, 21, the driver of that vehicle, is also charged with murder, conspiracy and evidence tampering. Savannah Martinez, 21, who was a passenger in the car, was indicted on four conspiracy charges.

Axel Zamarron, a 17-year-old who investigators said was riding in the other car, also faces charges of murder, conspiracy, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, and tampering. Hice told police Zamarron “fired a full magazine,” according to arrest affidavits.

It’s unclear what consequences Katryna Moya, 17, and Alejandra Gonzalez, 16, who where traveling in the vehicle with Zamarron, might face as juvenile court records are not public.

The victim is not related to the suspects named Martinez.