Jose Martinez-Contreras dies in fatal Riverside County shooting
Fatal Riverside County shooting death of Jose Martinez-Contreras
Two individuals were apprehended following a fatal shooting during a robbery incident involving a 21-year-old man in Riverside County. Sheriff’s deputies from Jurupa Valley responded to a report of an assault involving a deadly weapon near the intersection of Golden West Avenue and Condor Drive shortly after midnight on July 14th. When they arrived, the victim, identified as Jose Martinez-Contreras, was suffering from a gunshot wound and was transported to a hospital in critical condition. Tragically, he passed away six days later due to his injuries.
The suspects had fled the scene before the deputies arrived. Investigations eventually led authorities to identify Lorenzo Howse Jr., 19, of Bloomington, as one of the suspects involved in the shooting. On July 18th, Howse was taken into custody during a search warrant executed in Bloomington. He was subsequently booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center facing charges of attempted murder.
Further investigation revealed that Martinez-Contreras had been the target of an armed robbery prior to the fatal shooting incident. Darnell White, 19, of Jurupa Valley, was identified as the suspect responsible for the robbery. White was located at his residence on July 20th and arrested for both murder and robbery. No further details regarding a potential motive or the relationship between the victim and suspects were released by the authorities. The ongoing investigation seeks to uncover more information. The public is encouraged to contact investigator Deanne at 951-955-2777 or investigator Medina at 951-955-2600 if they have any information pertaining to this case.
