TIJUANA, Baja California — The body of Elizabeth Martinez was found in February just a couple blocks away from Tijuana's red-light district, Zona Norte, where she used to work.
Martinez, 25, was found naked, beaten, and strangled in the back of her white Jeep SUV.
Reporter Vicente Calderon with tijuanapress.com spoke to the victim's uncle, Francisco Cigarroa.
“Elizabeth knew the suspect. She has met with him before as a client,” said Calderon.
Martinez worked as an escort. Investigators believe she picked up a man in the area of the El Chaparral border crossing across from San Ysidro.
By tracking Martinez’s cell phone, police obtained surveillance video of the victim entering a restaurant with a man on the day she was murdered.
“After she met with the suspect, they went out to have dinner, and afterward, they headed to the hotel,” Calderon said.
The 30-year-old suspect, first identified in November by the Zeta newspaper in Tijuana as Brayan Rivera, is reportedly a U.S. citizen. However, the FBI will not confirm that Rivera is wanted in connection with the case.
Calderon said officers have been trying to locate Rivera in the Downey area near Los Angeles.
“I believe that they (officers) spoke with the relatives of Brayan, the suspect, but they haven't been able to do much,” said Calderon.
Investigators believe the suspect crossed the border at San Ysidro and may be involved in the murders of at least three sex workers in Tijuana, who were found beaten and strangled.
“One of the victims was found in a dumpster. The other one was found in the bathroom of the hotel room. And this one, he put her in the back of the vehicle and just left the car parked in the street,” said Calderon.
Martinez's family told Calderon they were concerned that there could be more victims.
“The family is still trying to get justice in this particular case, and they are concerned that time is going by and still no concrete results,” Calderon said.
The veteran Tijuana journalist blames international bureaucracy for delays in the investigation, including red tape involved in obtaining the extradition of a U.S. citizen.
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