Man extradited to California after 8 years in Mexico for murder

Man Extradited from Mexico Charged with Murder

A 39-year-old man is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s new partner in 2017. He has been extradited from Mexico and charged with murder after a long investigation.

Humberto Rodriguez Martinez is accused of fatally stabbing 32-year-old Daniel Reyes in Anaheim, California, nine years ago, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors stated that Martinez fled to Mexico after Reyes’ death, leading to a years-long search that concluded in 2024.

Charges Against Martinez

Martinez now faces one felony count of murder, one felony enhancement of special circumstance lying in wait, and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon, a knife, as stated by the district attorney’s office.

“This arrest does not undo the pain the victim’s family has endured, but it reinforces our commitment and promise to our community: we will never stop working until justice is served,” said Anaheim Police Chief Manny Cid.

Martinez pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and is being held without bail.

Details of the Incident

Prosecutors said the incident occurred on October 17, 2017. Martinez went to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment to watch their two children while she went to work. He was accompanied by his friend, Adan Zapot-Leyva.

Martinez and the woman had broken up several months earlier but were still co-parenting. The two men left the apartment around 8:30 p.m. when the woman returned home. Reyes, who was dating Martinez’s ex-girlfriend, arrived about 30 minutes later.

Early the next morning, Anaheim police were called to a nearby intersection. Witnesses reported that two men were chasing Reyes, and one was stabbing him. Officers found Reyes dead with multiple stab wounds.

Aftermath and Arrest

Prosecutors said Martinez fled to Mexico soon after the incident. Zapot-Leyva was arrested two days later. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of second-degree murder in 2023 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

A $2 million warrant was issued for Martinez’s arrest. In 2024, Mexican authorities located him and arrested him at the request of the United States. He was extradited to California on December 4, 2025.

Martinez is a Mexican citizen who was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the murder.

Statements from Officials

“The pursuit of justice will never be derailed by time or distance,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The long arm of Orange County law enforcement reaches to every corner of the earth to ensure the full weight of the law is felt by those who commit the most heinous acts of violence against other human beings.”