Gilroy Police released the name late Monday afternoon of the 21-year-old man who was shot and killed at Sobrato Apartments on Monterey Street July 22. His name is Martin Rojas.
Up until Monday, July 30 – details in the murder investigation were few.
“This is a sensitive investigation and is currently very active. No details will be released until further notice,” said Police Sgt. Chad Gallacinao.
Police responded to Saint Louise Regional Hospital at 8:31 p.m. on July 22, after the victim was transported from the apartment complex in a private vehicle. Medics were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Police Sgt. Chad Gallacinao.
Previously, when the Dispatch attempted to contact the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday morning, coroner staff said that they could not release the name of the victim to the public, based on a hold the GPD placed on the case.
Police have also not released the name of the person who drove the victim to the hospital the night of the murder, and will not say whether or not that person is a suspect.
The suspect remains outstanding, Gallacinao said. No other updates have been given on the murder since earlier this week, when police would not release the murder weapon, where the victim was shot, or any other details surrounding the case.
“I can’t say when we’ll be able to release more on the case,” Gallacinao said. “We are doing our best to protect the investigation.”
Over at the Sobrato Apartments, residents say they did not know the victim, but suspected that he did not live at the apartment where the shooting may have occurred, because they believed that a young woman lived there by herself.
That woman’s name is Julie Pena, according to a late rent notice taped to her second-floor apartment’s door.
“The rent on this property has been due and unpaid for 14 or more consecutive days and the owner believes that you have abandonded the property,” the letter read.
One resident of Sobrato Apartments, who did not give his name, said that there was always a lot of “traffic” coming in and out of Pena’s apartment.
“That usually means there’s parties and drugs involved,” he said, laughing. “I don’t get the feeling she was leading Christian groups at her place, if you know what I mean.”
