Martin Rocha, aged 49, was tragically killed on September 10, 2017, in Salinas, California. Rocha was working on a vehicle in the driveway of a home on East Bolivar Street when two males approached and opened fire, shooting both Rocha and another man who was with him. Rocha succumbed to his injuries, while the other victim survived. This incident was one of the 28 homicides that occurred in Salinas in 2017.
The investigation into Rocha's death remained unresolved for nearly two years
until a breakthrough occurred in 2019. Salinas police arrested Andrew Anthony Alvarado, a 28-year-old man, in connection with Rocha's murder. Alvarado was apprehended after a separate shooting incident in which he allegedly shot two men with a fully automatic .40 caliber handgun. During the investigation of this recent shooting, police found surveillance footage of a suspicious white cargo van, which led them to Alvarado. Upon raiding his home, officers discovered three guns, including an assault rifle, illegal gun magazines, ammunition, and evidence of affiliation with the Norteño criminal street gang.
Alvarado was identified as one of the shooters in the 2017 incident that resulted in Rocha's death. Detectives believe that Alvarado carried out multiple violent crimes and described his attacks as heinous and cowardly. He faces charges of murder and attempted murder, with his bail set at $2 million. As of the latest updates, Monterey County Superior Court records did not list a court date for Alvarado, but more charges are expected to be filed against him. The investigation into Rocha's murder and Alvarado's other alleged crimes is ongoing, with police urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
