SANTA ANA : Armed Man Shot by Woman’s Father

A Santa Ana man who went to the home of his estranged girlfriend wielding a handgun was shot to death late Saturday during an argument with her father, police said.

Both the girlfriend’s father and her brother, who allegedly provided the weapon ultimately used in the killing, were arrested but later released, police said. “It appears at this point we’ve got a justifiable homicide,” Sgt. Joe Esther said.

The victim, Michael Gabriel Martinez, 36, died at the scene, in the 1300 block of South Baker Street.

Police said Martinez arrived at his ex-girlfriend’s house around 11:30 p.m., apparently to talk to the woman. When he arrived, however, Martinez began fighting with Rodolpho Jimenez, 54, the unidentified girlfriend’s father, and Rudy Jimenez, her 27-year-old brother.

Esther said Martinez began brandishing a .45 automatic he had with him and fired it several times. Rudy Jimenez went into the house and got a .380 automatic and gave it to his father, who apparently shot Martinez during the altercation, police said. Martinez was shot twice with the second gun, which was recovered at the scene along with Martinez’s weapon. His body was found on the lawn by police.