HONOLULU (KHON2) – A case that has haunted Hawaii for over four decades remains unsolved, but investigators are not giving up.
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The murders of two young Marines in 1980, Lance Corporals Lawrence “Larry” Martens and Rodney “Rocky” Padilla, have been taken over by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) from the Honolulu Police Dept., and they are calling on the public for help in cracking this long-cold case.
On September 7, 1980, Martens and Padilla left the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe for a night out but never returned.
The next day, their bodies were discovered in the parking lot of Maunalua Bay Beach Park, both shot and beaten.
“As we approach the 44th anniversary, we need someone to come forward,” said NCIS Special Agent James Curry. “We know someone out there knows what happened, and they need to tell us.”
Despite the passage of time, NCIS has not abandoned the case. They are using modern DNA testing techniques to reexamine evidence from the scene in hopes of identifying a suspect.
Investigators are also intrigued by a cryptic message written in the sand near the crime scene, which they believe could hold vital information about the crime.
“Although I’m not at liberty to discuss right now what that writing said, we do know that somebody was there and wrote something in the sand at the approximate time that this crime occurred,” Curry added.
The atmosphere at Maunalua Bay Beach Park in 1980 was one of casual gatherings, with people often hanging out under a large kiawe tree, drinking and talking story.
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Yet, the presence of the two Marines, who were brutally murdered, raises more questions than answers.
“At night, people liked to hang out. There was a large kiawe tree there. Drink, talk story, and hang out. That was the atmosphere at that time,” said NCIS Investigator Philip Camaro. “What’s unique is, we have two Marines who are beaten and shot. The big question is, why were they there?”
Over the years, tips have led investigators across the country and even internationally, but the case remains unresolved.
However, NCIS believes that time may work in their favor, as relationships change and people may now be willing to come forward with information.
“Relationships change. The people who were involved may want to come forward. Maybe they have a change of heart. Maybe they had an alliance then. They want to do the right thing now,” Camaro explained.
NCIS is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Joe Padilla, Rocky’s brother and a retired Denver police officer, has been vocal about the pain of waiting for justice. He wears a silver chain every day, a necklace Rocky was wearing when he was killed.
“This necklace right here that I’m wearing, if you can see it, it’s a silver chain. Rocky was wearing this when he was killed. I wear it every day. So we just need help. I know somebody knows something,” Padilla said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Padilla has never given up hope that his brother’s murder will be solved.
“Why forget about Rocky? Why forget about Larry? You know, they need help. They need justice. We need to find out what happened. We just can’t put her on a shelf. It’s a major crime. It’s a tragic crime. My little brother didn’t deserve to be shot in the back of the head on a beach. He was doing nothing wrong. He was out with a buddy, and he was killed,” he said.
Padilla also appealed to the people of Hawaii, asking for their help in bringing justice for his brother.
“Rocky was proud of his country. He loved Hawaii, and I hope that Hawaii will appreciate that and help us in solving his case,” he said.
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If you have information that can solve the case, contact CrimeStoppers Honolulu at 808-955-8300, or submit a tip to NCIS at www.ncis.navy.mil. Tips can be sent anonymously.
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Publish date : 2024-08-29 16:17:00
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