Humberto Rodriguez Martinez / Photo courtesy Orange County District Attorney's Office
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A man accused of fleeing the country after allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend was extradited from Mexico this week to face murder charges after eight years on the run.
What we know:
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, 39-year-old Humberto Rodriguez Martinez and his friend, Adan Zapot-Leyva, were at Martinez's ex-girlfriend's Anaheim apartment on Oct.17, 2017 to watch his two children while she was at work.
After the mother returned home that evening, Martinez and Zapot-Leyva left, and her new boyfriend, Daniel Reyes, arrived shortly afterward, officials said.
According to witnesses and the Anaheim police, the two men waited outside for Reyes to come outside. When he left the apartment, they chased him to the intersection of Santa Ana Street and Helena Street, where he was stabbed multiple times.
Martinez fled to Mexico immediately after the attack, officials said, while Zapot-Leyva was arrested two days later. Zapot-Leyva pleaded guilty in 2023 to second-degree murder and is currently serving 15 years to life.
Timeline:
Oct. 17, 2017: Daniel Reyes is stabbed to death in Anaheim; Humberto Rodriguez Martinez flees to Mexico.
Oct. 19, 2017: Adan Zapot-Leyva is arrested for his role in the murder.
2023: Zapot-Leyva is sentenced to 15 years to life.
2024: Mexican authorities, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, locate and arrest Martinez.
Dec. 4, 2025: Martinez is extradited to the United States and taken into custody at LAX.
Jan. 6, 2026: Martinez pleads not guilty in Orange County superior court.
What they're saying:
"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.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer added, "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."
Big picture view:
The case highlights the complex nature of international extradition, particularly involving "special circumstances" charges.
Martinez, a Mexican citizen who was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the murder, must remain in federal custody while his case is litigated, in compliance with Department of Homeland Security and ICE requirements.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Anaheim Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney's Office.