The calendar flipped to September 2001, and while the nation watched smoke rise from a different kind of tragedy, a cold calculation played out in the basement of a Passaic, New Jersey warehouse. Francisco Martinez, a man built like a linebacker even then, allegedly ended a business dispute with a bullet. Not a heat-of-the-moment reaction, the cops say, but an execution-style killing of his employer. The victim, a man who’d apparently caught Martinez siphoning off textiles and suspected him of torching the warehouse just a month prior, never stood a chance. Martinez vanished, swallowed by the sprawling concrete veins of the Northeast.
Twenty-three years. Two decades and more of ghosting across state lines, potentially even back to his native Ecuador. The FBI’s been chasing shadows ever since, a $25,000 reward dangling for anyone who can deliver Martinez to justice. He’s a permanent resident, but that hasn’t slowed him down. Reports place him with connections in New York, Pennsylvania, and even Florida, but the trail always goes cold. The man is a sizable figure, pushing 350 pounds, around 5’8”, and though his hair is thinning, he’s known to favor baseball caps, likely to obscure a bald spot marked by a peculiar discoloration.
They say desperation changes a man, but Martinez was already a heavy set, powerfully built man before he allegedly pulled the trigger. A warehouse worker, a production manager—a man comfortable with the tools of his trade, and, according to investigators, comfortable with a weapon. Consider him armed, consider him dangerous. The old-timers on the force whisper about a quiet rage, a simmering resentment that finally boiled over in that basement. A rage that could erupt again, anywhere.
The case file is thick with dead ends, faded leads, and the frustration of investigators who’ve spent years hunting a phantom. They believe Martinez may be attempting to blend back into the Ecuadorian community, possibly traveling throughout South America. But a man of his size doesn’t simply disappear. Someone knows something. Someone has seen him.
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Francisco Martinez, born October 23, 1961, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, do not approach him. Contact your local FBI field office immediately. The reward is substantial, but more importantly, a man is wanted for murder, and a family deserves closure. Don’t let him fade into the darkness.
🔠Key Facts
| Full Name | Francisco Martinez |
| Charges | Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution – Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon |
| Aliases | None known |
| Date of Birth | October 23, 1961 |
| Race / Sex | hispanic / Male |
| Nationality | Ecuadoran |
| Height | 5’8″ |
| Weight | 350 lbs |
| Eyes / Hair | brown / black |
| Scars & Marks | Martinez has a discoloration on the portion of his head which is bald. |
| Location | New Jersey |
📋 Source: FBI Most Wanted — Francisco Martinez
If you have information about this fugitive, contact your local FBI field office or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
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