3 years later, murder of Chino soldier killed on Memorial Day camping trip remains unsolved

Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez was a paratrooper who was murdered in North Carolina in 2020.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Murder of Chino soldier killed on camping trip remains unsolved
It's been three years since a Chino soldier was killed while on a camping trip in North Carolina, and the case still hasn't been solved. Now, on a heartbreaking Memorial Day, his family continues to beg for help in finding his killer.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's been three years since a Chino soldier was killed while on a camping trip in North Carolina, and the case still hasn't been solved.

Now, on a heartbreaking Memorial Day, his family continues to beg for help in finding his killer.

"A lot of people took his kindness for weakness and that was the strongest thing about him, was how kind hearted he was," said Griselda Martinez, the sister of Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez. "Fearing his death, just over three years ago, has been forgotten."

Roman-Martinez, who was an army paratrooper serving in the 82nd Airborne Division, was murdered during a Memorial Day camping trip.

RELATED: Murdered soldier from Chino laid to rest, remembered as beloved son and brother

The remains of a soldier from Chino who was killed during a camping trip in North Carolina was laid to rest in Southern California on Saturday.

The 21-year-old and seven fellow soldiers from Fort Bragg were camping on an island on North Carolina's outer banks when he disappeared. Days later his partial remains washed ashore.

Investigators ruled Roman-Martinez's death a homicide and three long years later, no arrests have been made and there have been few answers for his family.

"My brother's life was taken away, and he always said he'd give his life to the country and his life was taken away," said his sister.

Griselda has criticized how the Army handled its investigation into her brother's death.

"They can't figure out who did it, they can't figure out what happened. They can't figure that out but, you know, I bet you if it was the President of the United States, they would've had it solved in two minutes," she said.

Griselda told Eyewitness News her family was recently told officials are planning to reopen her brother's case but didn't have many details.

In November, a bill introduced by the family's Congresswoman Norma Torres passed. It adds oversight and clarifies standards on how the military looks into cold cases.

Solving this case would give the young man's family some closure on his death.

"I don't know if this would've ever happened if it wasn't for my brother's passing and it's sad," said Griselda.

Mystery deepens as 911 call released in case of Chino paratrooper whose body was found in NC

A 911 call is adding to the mystery of what happened to a paratrooper from Chino whose dismembered body was found after a camping trip in North Carolina.