Latest news with #FranciscoMartinez
CBS News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Kidnapped politician found dead near soccer field in Honduras as police say "personal revenge" was likely motive
Armed men killed a Honduran mayor standing for reelection in the violence-wracked Central American nation, although the murder was not believed to be politically motivated, police said Thursday. Francisco Martinez, mayor of the northwestern municipality of San Isidro, was taken by gunmen from a motel in the city of Siguatepeque on Wednesday night and shot outside, a police statement said, adding that Martinez was "allegedly drinking alcohol" when he was abducted. His bullet-ridden body was found near a soccer field, according to the police. The murder did not appear to be related to Martinez's political activities, it said, adding that evidence suggested the motive was likely "personal revenge." Personnel from the Centre for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences carry the coffin with the remains of Francisco Martinez, mayor of the San Isidro municipality, in Tegucigalpa on July 10, 2025. ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images The 45-year-old mayor was seeking reelection for the right-wing opposition National Party in November 30 presidential, legislative and local elections. Martinez was arrested in 2015 for allegedly trying to kill a daughter's boyfriend with a machete, police said. Local media reported that he was acquitted in 2016. Sources close to the investigation said that Martínez frequented several motels in the area and, at the time of the crime, was under surveillance because of his background, police said in their statement. Police said they seized a cell phone from a woman who often joined Martinez at these motels. Honduras is one of the most violent countries in Latin America, mainly due to drug trafficking and gang activity. In May, a U.S. Army soldier was found dead on a riverbank several miles from an airbase in Honduras.
Al Arabiya
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Gunmen kidnap and kill Honduran mayor
Armed men kidnapped and killed a Honduran mayor standing for reelection in the violence-wracked Central American nation, police said Thursday. Francisco Martinez, mayor of the northwestern municipality of San Isidro, was removed from his vehicle by gunmen in the city of Siguatepeque on Wednesday night. His bullet-riddled body was found near a football field, according to the police. The 45-year-old mayor was seeking reelection for the right-wing opposition National Party in November 30 presidential, legislative and local elections. The motive for the mayor's murder was under investigation, police spokesman Miguel Martinez told AFP. Mayor Martinez was detained in 2015 in connection with the death of a young man believed to be the boyfriend of one of his daughters, but was later acquitted, according to local media. Honduras is one of the most violent countries in Latin America, mainly due to drug trafficking and gang activity.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Tyler black-market gun dealer convicted of federal firearms crime, officials say
TYLER, Texas (KETK) — A Tyler man was found guilty of a federal firearms violation on Tuesday after he was caught selling and providing weapons to people involved with drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Texas said 23-year-old Francisco Martinez was found guilty of selling a firearm to a person who intended to use the gun for drug trafficking crimes. Information revealed in court shows that he was known by law enforcement as a black-market source for firearms in Tyler. Tyler police searching for 16-year-old runaway girl last seen in February During a drug trafficking investigation, Martinez was caught accompanying a cocaine dealer to a drug purchase at a grocery store parking lot. He was reportedly caught carrying an AK-47 during the transaction. He faces up to life in federal prison, sentencing will be based on the advisory guidelines and other statutory factors. The hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Community helps Cross Spur Cowboy Church arena after storms U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr., spoke about Martinez's sentence and how he and other government agencies will continue to work to get these crimes off the street. 'This verdict continues to demonstrate how relentless the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney's Office and its FBI and ATF partners will work to combat violent crime,' McGlothin said. 'As promised, my office and our law enforcement partners will find drug and illicit gun dealers and take them off the streets.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Southern California dodges worst of mudslide fears as heavy rains hit region
As Southern California recovers from last month's devastating wildfires, heavy rains Thursday resulted in pockets of flooding, blocked roadways and mud piling up around recent burn scars. The storm system largely moved out of metro Los Angeles late Thursday, prompting officials to lift flood warnings, according to the National Weather Service. While the storm's departure marked an easing of immediate threats, concerns linger over the potential for mudslides and rockslides, which can occur long after rainfall has ended. Here are the latest developments: As the storm's intensity peaked Thursday, flash flood warnings were issued for areas including Malibu and Pacific Palisades, which were heavily impacted by last month's Palisades fire. Rain inundated some roadways and caused localized street flooding but largely avoided the extensive destruction that officials had feared in wildfire-scarred areas, where scorched soil can repel water, triggering fast-moving mudslides that gather debris as they surge downhill. Isolated rock and mudslides were reported around Malibu Thursday. A large debris flow in the Hollywood Hills 'deposited approximately 8 inches of mud across Mulholland Dr., making passage impossible,' the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco were earlier affected by mudslides as rain pushed across the state. Evacuation orders for select residences near burn scar areas from the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst Fires remain through Friday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Santa Cruz County lifted their evacuation orders Thursday, as did parts of the Lake Fire burn scar area in Santa Barbara County. At least 16,000 customers in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were left without power as of early Friday morning, according to Drier weather is in the forecast around Los Angeles Friday, with occasional showers in the early morning hours. A flood watch is in effect through Friday morning for parts of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties as the system moves east. While significant devastation from the storm was avoided, the rains and subsequent flows resulted in damaged vehicles and buildings. In Altadena, which was impacted by the Eaton fire, some vehicles were mired in thick mud as crews scrambled to dig them out. In Sierra Madre, also near the Eaton burn scar, mud cascaded down roads at the bottom of hillsides, overtaking cars and leaving residents scrambling to help one another. Exhausted neighbors worked tirelessly to clear debris, some still living out of packed bags from the last evacuation before facing another order. 'It's a resilient community,' Francisco Martinez, a local resident, told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS. 'The debris flow, the mud … I've never seen it like this.' In Malibu, a Los Angeles Fire Department member sustained minor injuries after his vehicle was swept into the ocean by a large debris flow, LAFD spokesperson Erik Scott said on social media. Video shows a vehicle partially submerged in the ocean after being pushed off an embankment. The incident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday along Big Rock Road, located off the Pacific Coast Highway. The member managed to escape and was transported to a hospital as a precaution, Scott said. Significant debris flows were reported near well-known Duke's restaurant in Malibu, located off the Pacific Coast Highway. While the oceanfront restaurant escaped damage from the recent wildfire, backhoes were seen scraping mud off the streets nearby Thursday night. In Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley, a portion of the roof of a Smart & Final grocery store in Azusa collapsed Thursday, according to KCAL/KCBS. No injuries were reported. Al Hernandez, who was at the scene, described hearing a loud 'boom' before the roof buckled. 'It was crazy,' he told the news outlet. 'People were screaming and running, it was just madness.' CNN's Joe Sutton, Taylor Romine, Nouran Salahieh, Isaac Yee and Chimaine Pouteau contributed to this report.
CNN
14-02-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Southern California dodges worst of mudslide fears as heavy rains hit region
As Southern California recovers from last month's devastating wildfires, heavy rains Thursday resulted in pockets of flooding, blocked roadways and mud piling up around recent burn scars. The storm system largely moved out of metro Los Angeles late Thursday, prompting officials to lift flood warnings, according to the National Weather Service. While the storm's departure marked an easing of immediate threats, concerns linger over the potential for mudslides and rockslides, which can occur long after rainfall has ended. Here are the latest developments:As the storm's intensity peaked Thursday, flash flood warnings were issued for areas including Malibu and Pacific Palisades, which were heavily impacted by last month's Palisades fire. Rain inundated some roadways and caused localized street flooding but largely avoided the extensive destruction that officials had feared in wildfire-scarred areas, where scorched soil can repel water, triggering fast-moving mudslides that gather debris as they surge downhill. Isolated rock and mudslides were reported around Malibu Thursday. A large debris flow in the Hollywood Hills 'deposited approximately 8 inches of mud across Mulholland Dr., making passage impossible,' the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco were earlier affected by mudslides as rain pushed across the state. Evacuation orders for select residences near burn scar areas from the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst Fires remain through Friday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Santa Cruz County lifted their evacuation orders Thursday, as did parts of the Lake Fire burn scar area in Santa Barbara County. At least 16,000 customers in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were left without power as of early Friday morning, according to Drier weather is in the forecast around Los Angeles Friday, with occasional showers in the early morning hours. A flood watch is in effect through Friday morning for parts of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties as the system moves east. While significant devastation from the storm was avoided, the rains and subsequent flows resulted in damaged vehicles and buildings. In Altadena, which was impacted by the Eaton fire, some vehicles were mired in thick mud as crews scrambled to dig them out. In Sierra Madre, also near the Eaton burn scar, mud cascaded down roads at the bottom of hillsides, overtaking cars and leaving residents scrambling to help one another. Exhausted neighbors worked tirelessly to clear debris, some still living out of packed bags from the last evacuation before facing another order. 'It's a resilient community,' Francisco Martinez, a local resident, told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS. 'The debris flow, the mud … I've never seen it like this.' In Malibu, a Los Angeles Fire Department member sustained minor injuries after his vehicle was swept into the ocean by a large debris flow, LAFD spokesperson Erik Scott said on social media. Video shows a vehicle partially submerged in the ocean after being pushed off an embankment. The incident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday along Big Rock Road, located off the Pacific Coast Highway. The member managed to escape and was transported to a hospital as a precaution, Scott said. Significant debris flows were reported near well-known Duke's restaurant in Malibu, located off the Pacific Coast Highway. While the oceanfront restaurant escaped damage from the recent wildfire, backhoes were seen scraping mud off the streets nearby Thursday night. In Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley, a portion of the roof of a Smart & Final grocery store in Azusa collapsed Thursday, according to KCAL/KCBS. No injuries were reported. Al Hernandez, who was at the scene, described hearing a loud 'boom' before the roof buckled. 'It was crazy,' he told the news outlet. 'People were screaming and running, it was just madness.'
