Las Vegas, NV — In an unsettling confession, a 19-year-old Las Vegas man has been arrested after admitting to fatally shooting another man, citing an overwhelming compulsion to kill, according to local police. Joshua Martinez now faces a charge of open murder with a deadly weapon after the incident early on the morning of February 17.
Authorities report that the shooting took place outside a Walgreens on North Durango Drive in the Coral Bay neighborhood around 2:45 a.m. When emergency responders arrived, following a distress call suggesting a possible suicide attempt involving pill consumption, they found a man wrapped in a sheet, already deceased with a gunshot wound to the head.
A nearby resident was awakened by the sound of the gunfire and later identified Martinez as the individual responsible. Police quickly apprehended Martinez at his home where they also seized two handguns.
During his interrogation, Martinez revealed to officers that he had been struggling with intense and violent thoughts, which he claimed intensified after drinking. He described futile attempts to withdraw money using a debit card stolen from his parents.
Martinez also told investigators of growing paranoia at an ATM that night, where he imagined he was being followed by several men. Armed with two guns for what he perceived as protection, he returned to the vicinity of the bank.
It was there Martinez encountered the victim, who was wearing a white hoodie. The man initially asked to use Martinez’s phone to call a hospital. Although Martinez offered to escort him to a nearby medical facility, the man opted for a different location but eventually settled for sitting on the Walgreens’ steps with Martinez.
As their conversation evolved, it gravitated towards dark themes. Martinez confessed to the stranger his urge to commit murder, which was met with a disturbing revelation from the man, who claimed he had once set someone on fire.
This exchange seemingly acted as a catalyst for Martinez. He pretended to enter the store to purchase alcohol, then turned around, shot the victim in the back of the head, and fled the scene.
Martinez is currently being held at the Clark County Detention Center without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 4. As the community grapples with this horrific event, questions about the mental health challenges and the factors leading to such violent behaviors remain urgent and pressing. This case serves as a poignant reminder of the critical need for accessible mental health resources and interventions, especially for the youth.