On June 6, 2025, deputies from the Fontana station responded to a report of a man lying in the roadway on the 9800 block of Banana Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered Valentin Martinez had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division, Homicide Detail, took over the investigation. They identified Jonathan Mota and Karina Rivera as responsible for Martinez’s death. On June 9, 2025, with assistance from various law enforcement agencies including the Mohave County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Marshall Fugitive Apprehension Team, Mota and Rivera were arrested near Kingman, Arizona. They are currently held by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Department awaiting extradition to San Bernardino County.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Ronald Williams at (909) 890-4904 or anonymously through We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.
“Shannon D. Dicus,” Sheriff-Coroner of San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department confirmed these details.
