Suspect in killing of homeless man in Eloise is now wanted in Winter Haven woman's death
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The Polk County Sheriff's Office is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a man wanted in two killings in just over two months.
Sheriff Grady Judd said a warrant has been issued for Enrique Martinez, 26, on charges of first-degree murder in the killing of 20-year-old Sierra Hernandez.
Martinez has had an active warrant in Polk for his arrest since November. Judd said Martinez, who is thought to be homeless, shot and killed another man in an Eloise homeless encampment. He is wanted on charges of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and tampering with evidence.
Martinez is described as an adult Hispanic male with brown eyes, black hair, about 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing about 146 pounds. He has two tattoos: one on his left wrist that says "W7" and one on the left side of his neck that says "Natalia." Martinez goes by the nickname "Kiki," pronounced "Key-Kay," according to the Sheriff's Office.
"He has friends and family and they have been actively hiding him from us," Judd said.
Martinez is wanted in connection with the death of Hernandez, who was reported missing by her family on Jan. 14. Judd said Martinez is the "prime suspect" in Hernandez's death, but not the only suspect who remains at-large.
Social media posts made by family members on Facebook state that Hernandez was last seen Jan. 8 and was known to be sleeping out of her 1996 gray Crown Victoria in the area of Wahneta and Lake Wales.
Court documents show Polk deputies arrested Daphne Ann Fernandez, 44, of Winter Haven on Jan. 15 after she was found driving Hernandez's car east on Memorial Boulevard/U.S. 92 in Lakeland. A deputy in a cruiser drove past the vehicle near Woodland Avenue, just east of Lake Parker. Fernandez was found to be driving on a license that had been suspended since May 2019. She was charged with knowingly driving while her license was suspended.
On Jan. 18, deputies arrested Hernandez's father, Christopher Shawn Hernandez, 47, along with her brother, Christopher Preston Hernandez, 26; Amber Merzacco, 29, of Winter Haven; April Merrill, 33, of Auburndale; and Kalob Ashley, 26, of Auburndale, at a home off Ave T Northwest in Winter Haven listed as Fernandez's residence, according to court records.
The affidavits for the arrests were not made available to The Ledger as of Monday evening.
Each of the five individuals faces two charges: one first-degree felony count of armed burglary/burglary of a dwelling with a weapon, and one third-degree felony count of tampering or fabricating physical evidence. All have been held in Polk County jail without bail since last Thursday night.
Under new Florida laws that took effect Jan. 1, when an individual is arrested on felony charges, the state attorney's office or courts can request pretrial detention. No such request has been filed in court as of Monday evening, according to Polk County Clerk of Court's online records. There has been no other explanation offered as to why Hernandez's family members are being held without bail.
Blake Edward Sterling, 22, who was identified by Hernandez's family members in social media posts as the last individual she was seen with, was arrested on Jan. 19, according to Polk County Jail Inmates lookup. Sterling faces two charges of violation of probation for written threats. The Ledger has requested the police affidavit of Sterling's arrest, which was not immediately made available.
Polk County deputies have recovered Hernandez's body, Judd said, with evidence indicating she was killed days prior to Jan. 14. No specific details on how or where Hernandez was found have been answered.
Judd said his deputies have been close to catching Martinez several times, but he has eluded them. The sheriff said Martinez was in a car pulled over for a traffic stop, but he opened a door, jumped out and took off running. The sheriff said Martinez got a "few minutes ahead" of deputies who received information on his whereabouts during the weekend. But Martinez had fled before they got there.
Anyone who has information on Martinez's whereabouts should call 911 immediately. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Heartland Crime Stoppers by:
Calling 888-400-TIPS (8477)
Calling **TIPS (8477) from a cell phone
Visiting www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and clicking "Submit a Tip"
Downloading the free "P3tips" app on a smartphone or tablet
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk sheriff offers $10,000 reward for man wanted in two killings
