Police: Man on parole for murder now faces gun charge

An Addison man on parole for second-degree murder now is accused of having a loaded machine gun, officials said.

Edgar Martinez, 29, of the 800 block of South Addison Road, is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed violence, resisting a peace officer ‒ causing injury, possession with intent to deliver ‒ cannabis, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

DuPage County Judge Leah Bendik ordered him to be detained pretrial Friday.

DuPage prosecutors say that at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, agents with a U.S. Marshals task force were watching Martinez’s apartment because he had failed to contact his parole officer.

The federal agents saw him leave with a black backpack and get into ride share vehicle. The agents stopped it and Martinez ran, leaving the backpack, according to the marshals. Inside the backpack, they found a loaded Glock 17 9mm handgun with a switch that allowed it to be fired in full automatic mode and an extended magazine with 24 rounds, according to a news release from the DuPage state’s attorney’s office.

The agents also found 270 grams of cannabis, 55 grams of cannabis flower and 25 grams of cocaine, according to the news release.

One agent suffered injuries to his head and elbow during the arrest.

Martinez was convicted of second-degree murder in a 2015 Cook County case and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was paroled in August 2023.

A prosecutor’s pretrial detention petition stated Martinez said he carried the gun for protection, fearing that the brothers of the man he killed were after him.

Martinez’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 22.