Jeff Martinez

In order for everyone to understand who Jeff was and the reasons as to why he will me missed dearly, I have to go back to the year 2002. In February 2002 I meet my husband Jeff Martinez.

As I was getting to know Jeff, he surprised me of how much of a family man he was. During Easter, 2002, I asked him what he was going to do. His response was “I’m going to the park with my family.” I remember thinking, I can’t believe it this guy has no kids and will spend time with his family at the park! (I thought he would be with friends). Later on I found out that Jeff had a grandmother whom he cared for dearly. He would visit her periodically and take her grocery shopping. He was the only one from his family who would do whatever it took for his family to be well taken care of.

In September, 2002, I was going through some financial problems. I had no health insurance and needed medication that cost $150. I had mentioned to Jeff that I would not be getting the medication due to the price. A few days later, he gave me a surprise visit and gave me the money. My financial situations only worsen. I had to leave the apartment I lived in and rent a room for my two daughters and me. At that time, they were 3 1/2 & 1 1/2 years old. I told Jeff of my plans. A few days later he told me that he didn’t want me to do that. He wanted me to move in with him. He told me he was ready to live a life as a family man.

In March, 2003, at the age of 24 Jeff bought our first condo in Hawaiian Gardens, CA. This was not our first choice of city due to the reputation LA County had with violence. Jeff, being raised in Santa Fe Springs, moved to Orange County at age 11. As for me, I had lived my entire life in Orange County. We both commuted with traffic for 2 years since our jobs were in Orange County. Jeff never wanted my daughters to attend school in LA County. This was our stepping stone for a bigger and better future.

In 2004, Jeff wanted to make our relationship official and proposed to me. We didn’t have any children together because Jeff wanted to get married first. Jeff told me he was ready to give himself to me and make me happy. We started making wedding preparations and started contemplating in selling the condo in Hawaiian Gardens. Jeff wanted our children to have a social life after school which was something they were not getting in Hawaiian Gardens. We were always confined in the house for safety reasons.

In March of 2005, we finally bought our home in Orange County. Jeff was able to buy us a home where we both grew up. July 16th 2005 we got married and Jeff even wrote his own wedding vows. The 4x6 index card read “I Jeff take you Isabel to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, love you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.” That’s exactly what he did till the day of his death.

June 10th 2006, our first daughter was born. Jeff was a new man. He was such help that when he arrived after a long day of work it was like I was getting off work. Jeff would completely take over the responsibility of our daughter. He would play with her, take her to the park, and keep her happy. He did this regardless of how tired he was from a long day at work sometimes anywhere from 10 to 12 hour shifts 5 days a week.

In September of 2006, we got pregnant again. I say we because that’s how he took it. We are having our 2nd girl. He was so happy words can not explain.

Let’s not forget that through out all these years, Jeff was also an excellent son, brother, brother in law, and uncle. Everyone who new him personally admired him for the way he took care and worried for both of our families. He was everyone’s counselor. We all went to him with our issues and he would always be there with excellent advice.

Saturday, February 23rd.
Jeff received a call from his grandmother’s nurse explaining that his grandmother was going to the hospital because they thought she had a stroke over the night. Our plans of taking the kids to the Long Beach Aquarium were cancelled immediately. We were now on a mission. We had to pick up Jeff’s father and take him to see Grandma. Once we were out of the hospital his dad asked if we could give him a ride to the grocery store. Being the helpful man Jeff was, he did as he was told. Jeff’s sister, our baby, and I waited in the car while they were shopping. That night Jeff expressed to me how much LA County meant to him. In his own words he said, “LA makes me feel more at home than the OC. I love it. I just wish there wasn’t too much violence.” Little did he know that the following day he would be killed in the county he loved.

Now you all have an idea of what an outstanding person Jeff was. He was one of a kind. Now, I will share how my nightmare began.

Sunday, February 24th 2008
Our plans to the Aquarium once again got cancelled, because his grandmother was not doing well. He received calls from the hospital where his grandmother was being cared for. They told him that she was pulling out her IV, was not drinking, or eating. He received about 7 calls within a 2 hr. period from his father and the hospital. Jeff did not want to go, because he would have to pick up his father and drive him to and from the hospital. He was saddened that all the responsibility always fell only on him when it came to his grandmother. Being the helpful person Jeff was he decided he was going to go and do it all over again just like he did the day before. “I’m going. I don’t want to feel guilty later,” were his last words before he left.

After the hospital visit, Jeff and his father went to eat at Jims Burgers in Hawaiian Gardens. By then Jeff had called me to let me know of his plans. Jeff told me he would call me when he was on his way home. To my surprise, Jeff called me again at 5:29pm to ask if I wanted him to bring me something to eat. I requested onion rings. Never in my life did I think that would be the last time I would hear his voice.

Fifteen minutes later he got shot 6 times while defending his father. His right lung, stomach, small intestine, liver, and heart received multiple shots. With all this said, Jeff had no chance at survival. The true story, only 3 people know it, and Jeff took it to his grave. The remaining two are not speaking.

Jeff had no chance to make it through. He was being shot to get killed. At the scene help arrived but Jeff had no pulse, no blood pressure, and no oxygen saturation. His pupils were dilated at 6 millimeters and fixed. According to Jeff’s sister, her dad told her that he held Jeff and told him to hold on. Jeff’s father saw him take his last breath. I could picture it. Jeff looked into his father’s eyes probably imagining leaving me pregnant and with 3 girls, not believing what was happening to him. His entire life he kept himself away from trouble. He kept away from bad crowds and loved to be a family man. I’m sure he couldn’t believe he was going to end his way.

All Jeff tried to do that day was make sure his grandmother saw his dad. He knew that would calm her down and would make her feel better. What did Jeff get In return? He got killed for no reason. My daughters will never be able to bond with their father. My youngest daughter won’t even have baby pictures with her daddy. Everyone he knew lost a valuable person. My family cannot express how much justice is deserved which is something he believed in.

Thank you for reading my nightmare. I just feel the need to tell the whole world what I'm going through and how good I had it.