Police Seek Man Suspected in Slaying and Carjacking

A 21-year-old man went on a crime spree Wednesday in which he carjacked a truck, shot to death a Yorba Linda man and then stole another vehicle to flee the scene, police said.

Ruben Sonny Martinez, of Norwalk, is wanted by police as a suspect in the robberies and homicide, said Brea Police Sgt. Tom Flenniken. He has also been linked to a hit-and-run accident before the killing in which a parked car was damaged, Flenniken said.

About 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a man believed to be Martinez arrived in a truck at a business complex on North Palm Street and asked for help with the vehicle, Flenniken said.

When Luis Fernandez went outside to help, the suspect pointed a gun at him and tried to take his keys and wallet, Flenniken said.

A few minutes later, Uwe Ruediger Jurgens, 52, of Yorba Linda, who works at a metal manufacturing business, walked outside to check on Fernandez and saw him being held at gunpoint, police said.

The gunman shot Jurgens at least two times in the upper body and then jumped into Fernandez’s car and fled the area, Flenniken said.

Jurgens was taken to Brea Community Hospital, where he died.

Before the suspect arrived at the Brea complex, police said he carjacked the truck he was driving from a man in Santa Ana about 5:30 p.m. Witnesses to the Santa Ana carjacking led police to Martinez.

Police later learned that five minutes before the shooting, the truck had struck a parked vehicle on Pepper Tree Drive in Brea.

Martinez is described as Latino, 5 feet 10 inches tall, about 150 pounds, with black hair. He was last seen wearing a blue sweater, blue jeans and a dark cap.

Fernandez’s car is described as a 1978 red Oldsmobile Delta 88 and has the license plate number 339USD.

Police request anyone with information to call Det. Terry Fincher at (714) 990-7638.