Costa Mesa man sought in shooting

Deepa Bharath

Police are looking for a Costa Mesa man in connection with the murder

of a 20-year-old Santa Ana man who was shot and killed in a Westside

alley on Saturday.

Costa Mesa Police detectives are in the process of getting an

arrest warrant for Ismael Rosolio Martinez, 31, of Costa Mesa, the

man they believe got into an argument with Ferdinand Eugenio

Zamudio-Saucedo and fired a single bullet that killed him, Lt. Dale

Birney said.

The incident was not gang-related, Birney said.

“We know the victim and the suspect had some kind of a

relationship,” he said. “But we don’t know how exactly they knew each

other.”

Birney said the shooting came after a brief argument.

“It appears to be a reaction to an escalated argument,” he said.

Martinez has lived in several locations in Costa Mesa, Birney

said. He said detectives’ follow-up investigation and interviews with

witnesses led them to Martinez.

“We have no idea where [Martinez] is right now,” he said. “But

we’re asking for the public’s help in finding him.”

Martinez is described as a Latino man, 5-foot-5 and about 150

pounds. He was last seen with a shaved head and had the name “Ismael”

tattooed on one of his arms. Officials said that he may also have an

“A” tattooed on one of his arms and that his nickname is “Pelon.”

He is believed to be carrying a small caliber handgun, which has

not been recovered, Birney said.

“At this point, we consider him to be armed and dangerous,” he

said.

Martinez was seen leaving the scene on foot, but could possibly be

driving an older model gray Honda Accord, Birney said.

This murder was the first for Costa Mesa this year and the first

murder under the new police chief, John Hensley.

The chief called the incident “a disappointment.”

“We’ve been making a lot of progress in the Westside,” he said.

“This is an anomaly and we don’t want the public to be overly

concerned about this incident. This is not a gang shooting.”

Hensley said he is glad that the shooting is neither a random act

of violence nor targeted at specific individuals.

“It is however tragic,” he added. “We want the public to know that

we’re out there and that we’d like to close this one. I’m confident

we will.”

Anyone with information about the incident or about the

whereabouts of Martinez is asked to call Costa Mesa Police Det. Mark

Manley at (714) 754-5356.