LAS VEGAS – In a chilling confession, a 19-year-old Las Vegas man admitted to police that he had “intense” homicidal urges before allegedly executing a man in cold blood. Authorities arrested Joshua Martinez after uncovering disturbing details about the brutal killing.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Feb. 17 near North Durango Drive and Deer Springs Way. Around 2:40 a.m., emergency responders were alerted to a man in need of medical assistance. The call was initially treated as a potential suicide attempt, but when officers arrived, they found a man wrapped in a blood-soaked white sheet, shot in the back of the head. Despite immediate CPR efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
During their investigation, police retrieved a bullet from the sheet and reviewed surveillance footage, which captured an unidentified figure near the victim around 3 a.m. A witness later identified Martinez as the shooter. Authorities swiftly took him into custody, discovering two firearms during a search of his home.
Martinez’s confession revealed a disturbing escalation of violent thoughts. He admitted to feeling increasingly homicidal, particularly when consuming alcohol. On the night of the murder, he attempted to steal from his parents, using their bank card to withdraw money but failing due to an incorrect PIN. While at the ATM, he became paranoid, believing a group of men in white hoodies was watching him.
Returning home, his anxiety spiraled, leading him to arm himself and head back toward the bank. There, he encountered the victim—who was wearing a white hoodie—and struck up a conversation. The victim, seeking a phone to call a hospital, walked with Martinez, discussing dark thoughts and even confessing to setting someone on fire in the past.
At that moment, Martinez later told police, something “clicked.” Convinced he had to kill the man, he offered to buy him more alcohol, stood up, and executed him with a shot to the head before fleeing.
Martinez is currently being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center, facing an open murder charge with a deadly weapon. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 8.
