Two brothers, one from Gurnee and the other from Waukegan, have been charged with killing a man during a home invasion in Wisconsin and then fleeing back to Lake County.
Jonathan M. Martinez, 25, of the 4000 block of Glen Flora Avenue in Gurnee, was charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted armed robbery with use of force.
A second defendant, Christopher A. Martinez, 23, of the 600 block of 2nd Street in Waukegan, was also charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted armed robbery with use of force.
A third defendant, Moises R. Gonzalez, 28, of Racine, Wisconsin, was charged with attempted armed robbery and possession with intent to deliver THC.
Police say the incident occurred on October 4 in the 1000 block of Monroe Avenue in Racine, Wisconsin.
Officers found a 31-year-old man, identified as James E. Hamilton, dead inside of a residence after being shot multiple times.
Officers responded to the residence after receiving a call of a possible home invasion in progress.
A criminal complaint filed in court said that the two Martinez brothers and Gonzalez intended to rob Hamilton, who they knew.
Officers found over $125,000 in cash, a large quantity of drugs and multiple guns inside the victim’s residence.
The complaint said that the suspects and the victim exchanged gunfire during the home invasion.
Christopher Martinez later sent a text message to Gonzalez acknowledging the robbery went bad and he had shot Hamilton, the complaint added.
Cell phone records placed the Martinez brothers directly at the victim’s home the night of the homicide.
An arrest warrant was issued for Christopher Martinez and Jonathan Martinez in early February, court records show.
Jonathan Martinez was extradited from Lake County and transported to the Racine County Jail on Wednesday.
Jonathan Martinez remains held in the Racine County, Wisconsin Jail on a $1 million bond. He would need to post the full bond in cash in order to be released.
Christopher Martinez has been held in the Lake County Jail since early February and remains held there on drug charges pending extradition to Racine County.