A woman has come forward with a new lead in a nearly decade-old cold case, claiming her son, an employee of the city's Administration of Children's Services, confessed to fatally shooting Wendy Martinez through her apartment peephole in 2018. The alleged confession was reportedly made to his mother in 2022.
Martinez, 45, was killed by a single shot fired through her apartment door's peephole on November 24, 2018, in her Concourse Village home. Police at the time suspected the shooting was retaliation for the killing of a man named Willie Lora in December 2014. Lora was allegedly murdered by Martinez's son, Brian Solano, who has since served prison time for manslaughter and been released on parole.
Sources indicated that Solano was a member of the Trinitarios gang, and Martinez's apartment may have been targeted by a rival group. Investigators believed Martinez herself was not the intended victim but was caught in the crossfire of gang violence. She was home with her then-11-year-old son when she answered the doorbell, only to be shot when she looked through the peephole.
Surveillance footage from the time showed a masked man leaving Martinez's building with an umbrella, which may have been used to obscure his identity. The alleged gunman's mother stated that upon reviewing the footage, she recognized her son's build, gait, and overall demeanor. The umbrella was recovered at the scene and is believed to contain forensic evidence.
The mother reportedly confided in a private investigator, detailing her son's alleged admission. He initially denied involvement when questioned by his mother but later admitted to it with a smirk, according to recordings obtained by The Post. The alleged gunman has a prior criminal history. No charges have yet been filed in connection with Martinez's murder, and the Bronx District Attorney's Office has not immediately commented.