The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office on Thursday identified the 23-year-old
Andrew Michael Martinez died of a stab wound to his chest, the coroner’s office says. His manner of death has been ruled a homicide.
The county sheriff’s office says Martinez was stabbed by 21-year-old Jeremiah Pepper during an altercation. Pepper was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree murder.
The stabbing happened just before 9 a.m. on the 56800 block of East Railroad Avenue. Deputies were called to the area on reports of a stabbing and first responders found Martinez injured, according to the sheriff’s office. Efforts to keep him alive were unsuccessful.
Pepper was arrested after the sheriff’s office says investigators interviewed several witnesses to the stabbing.
According to an arrest affidavit, the altercation that precipitated the stabbing was over where Pepper’s vehicle was parked. Pepper then walked into the apartment of a third man, grabbed a knife and vowed to kill Martinez, a witness told investigators.
Pepper then walked outside to where Martinez was getting out of a car and stabbed him once, the affidavit said, killing Martinez.
Strasburg, which sits off Interstate 70, is about 35 miles east of downtown Denver.
