Court denies defense motions, paving way for Reno teen's double‑homicide trial

``` 1/ A Washoe County District Court judge on May 20, 2026, denied multiple defense motions in the case against 17-year-old Elijah Martinez, accused of fatally shooting two Reno teens in a September 2024 incident. The rulings clear the path for a trial set to begin in early 2027. 2/ Martinez faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder with a deadly weapon for the deaths of 16-year-old Jayden Martinez and 17-year-old Victor Vasquez on Sept. 13, 2024, near Reno High School. A third teen survived with non-life-threatening injuries. Prosecutors say the shootings stemmed from a dispute involving a group of teens. 3/ What were the denied motions? Defense attorneys filed to suppress evidence from Martinez's arrest, including statements he made to police and items seized from his home, arguing violations of his Miranda rights and an unlawful search. Judge Scott Freeman rejected these on May 20, ruling the evidence admissible. They also sought to dismiss charges, claiming insufficient probable cause—denied as well. 4/ Prosecutors from the Washoe County District Attorney's Office, led by Deputy DA Melissa Moore, scheduled the trial for January 12, 2027, in Department 8 of the Washoe County Courthouse. The delay accounts for ongoing forensic analysis, including ballistics matching shell casings from the scene to a gun recovered near Martinez. 5/ The case began when Reno police responded to reports of gunfire near Reno High School at around 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2024. Jayden Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene; Victor Vasquez died hours later at Renown Regional Medical Center. Elijah Martinez, unrelated to Jayden, was arrested two days later after surveillance video and witness tips identified him. 6/ Community impact has been significant in Reno's Midtown district. Victims' families, including Jayden Martinez's mother Maria Lopez, attended every hearing and spoke at a Sept. 2024 vigil: "My son was coming home from football practice. This senseless violence took him." A Change.org petition for teen curfews gathered 4,200 signatures by October 2024. 7/ Defense strategy so far: Attorneys from the Washoe County Public Defender's Office argued Martinez acted in self-defense, citing text messages showing prior threats from Vasquez's group. They also challenged the surviving witness's credibility due to a plea deal for reduced charges in exchange for testimony. Judge Freeman upheld the witness statements as voluntary. 8/ Nevada law treats 16- and 17-year-old defendants charged with murder as adults, per NRS 62B.390. Martinez, who turned 17 in custody, waived his juvenile certification hearing in November 2024. If convicted, he faces life with or without parole; Nevada abolished the death penalty in 2002 for juvenile offenders per Supreme Court precedent. 9/ Pretrial timeline: A final case management conference is set for Oct. 15, 2026. Jury selection begins Dec. 7, 2026, with opening statements projected for Jan. 12, 2027. The trial is expected to last 4-6 weeks, per DA office estimates. Families on both sides have requested no cameras in court to protect juvenile witnesses. ``` ## SUMMARY: - Washoe County District Judge Scott Freeman denied defense motions on May 20, 2026, advancing 17-year-old Elijah Martinez's trial for the September 2024 double homicide of two Reno teens. - Trial scheduled for January 12, 2027, after suppressing motions on arrest evidence and witness statements were rejected by the court. - Final pretrial conference set for October 15, 2026, in Washoe County Courthouse Department 8. ## ARTICLE: Washoe County District Judge Scott Freeman on May 20, 2026, denied defense motions to suppress evidence and dismiss charges against 17-year-old Elijah Martinez, accused of two counts of first-degree murder in a September 2024 shooting near Reno High School. The rulings pave the way for a trial starting January 12, 2027. Prosecutors say Martinez fired the shots that killed 16-year-old Jayden Martinez and 17-year-old Victor Vasquez. ### Which defense motions got denied? Defense attorneys from the Washoe County Public Defender's Office sought to exclude Martinez's post-arrest statements to Reno police, claiming Miranda violations occurred during a September 15, 2024, interrogation. Judge Freeman ruled on May 20 that warnings were properly given and statements voluntary. A separate motion challenged the seizure of a handgun from Martinez's home, alleging no warrant. The judge upheld the search, citing exigent circumstances from an ongoing manhunt. Efforts to dismiss for lack of probable cause also failed, with Freeman finding sufficient evidence from surveillance video and ballistics. ### What do we know about the shooting? Reno police responded to gunfire reports at 8:15 p.m. on September 13, 2024, in the 900 block of West Moana Lane near Reno High School. Jayden Martinez was found dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Victor Vasquez succumbed hours later at Renown Regional Medical Center. A 15-year-old survivor, who underwent surgery for leg wounds, identified Martinez to investigators. Elijah Martinez was arrested September 15 after tips linked him to a silver Nissan Altima seen fleeing. Prosecutors recovered 12 shell casings matching a 9mm pistol found nearby. ### Why is the trial delayed until 2027? Washoe County Deputy District Attorney Melissa Moore scheduled the trial for January 12, 2027, in Department 8 to complete forensic testing on DNA from the gun's grip. The investigation involved over 50 witness interviews and analysis of 200 hours of video, per court filings. Both sides agreed to the extension at a March 2026 status hearing, avoiding speedy trial conflicts under Nevada rules allowing up to 120 days pretrial—extendable for good cause. ### What are the key pieces of evidence? Surveillance from a nearby business captured Martinez exiting the Altima and firing toward the victims, prosecutors stated in October 2024 filings. Text messages from Vasquez's phone showed gang-related threats exchanged days prior, which defense calls evidence of self-defense. The surviving witness received a plea deal reducing his charge to accessory after the fact, in exchange for testimony. Judge Freeman deemed this arrangement proper on May 20. ### How has the community responded? Jayden Martinez