WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton

De Pere man arrested as suspect in 34-year-old California cold case

DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – A man from De Pere was arrested earlier this month as the main suspect in a 34-year-old cold case in California.

According to a release from the City of Fontana Police Department, it was back on June 8, 1988, that Angel Martinez was reported missing to the Cyprus Police Department in California. Twelve days later, on June 20, Martinez’s body was discovered in Arizona’s La Paz County.

An investigation led the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office to the city of Fontana, California. It was reported that Martinez was supposed to meet people in Fontana but never showed up.

Investigations from there reportedly lead police nowhere. The case went cold and remained open from 1988 to 2023.

On March 1, 2023, several rounds of forensic testing were reportedly conducted. This led to a warrant for arrest and murder charges being issued for 63-year-old Kelvin Keith Emmons from De Pere.

According to the release, a Fontana Police Cold Case Detective and DA Investigator traveled to Emmons’s home in De Pere on March 15. With help from the De Pere Police Department, Emmons was arrested and waiting to be extradited to California where he is expected to be tried for the murder of Angel Martinez.

This arrest is a testament to our commitment to justice for victims and their families. I want to thank all those who worked on this case over the years for their dedication and hard work.”

Fontana Police Chief Michael Dorsey

No additional information was provided. Local Five will update this story if more details are made available.