SEATTLE — Zoey Martinez, 20, was found murdered in an alley in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood on September 1. Now her parents are working with Crime Stoppers to offer a $6,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect.
“She’s gone to heaven. I just lost everything right then, twenty years we had her,” said Craig Martinez, Zoey’s dad.
Seattle Police are looking for 23-year-old Jacaree Hardy. He is wanted for second-degree murder. They say he is armed and dangerous and could be in Seattle or Portland.
Zoey Martinez, who lived in Maple Valley, disappeared after she’d arranged to meet Hardy. Her parents say she met him on Facebook. They say Hardy owed her money, but they aren’t sure why.
Investigators say Zoey was nervous to meet Hardy and had asked her friends to go in a separate car. They arrived a couple of minutes late as Hardy was driving off with Zoey in the car. After a short chase, Hardy got away with Zoey.
Zoey’s friends reported the incident to the police. Her parents filed a missing person report. Early the next morning, Zoey’s body was found in an alley in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood. She was shot multiple times.
Her parents were devastated. “He didn’t just pull the trigger once, he murdered our child real bad, real bad,” said Craig Martinez. “Then to dump her like that and take off on the run. He needs to be caught.”
Zoey had spent the last two months caring for her mom who was recovering from being hospitalized with COVID-19.
“I didn’t know this would happen. It’s going to take a long time to heal,” said Deborah Martinez, Zoey’s mother.
“I just want her back. But that’s the dream that will never happen,” said Craig Martinez.
Zoey’s parents added $5,000 to the reward, which is $6,000. Anyone with information about Hardy can call Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS. All calls are confidential and callers can remain anonymous. You can also text a tip using the Crime Stoppers P3 App or go to www.P3TIPS.com
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