California

Fugitive Wanted in Brutal Beating, Dumping of Man Off Mountain Road

Four men have been charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, first-degree residential robbery and kidnapping in the case, prosecutors said

What to Know

  • The body of a man was found in brush off a mountain road in Angeles National Forest on Wednesday
  • He had been thrown out of a pickup truck after being beaten at a home in unincorporated Azusa on Monday
  • Three acquaintances were arrested in the slaying and a fourth man was being sought

Investigators on Friday turned to the public to help find a man facing capital murder charges in the killing of a father of an infant son with a second child on the way whose body was found entangled in brush off an Angeles National Forest road in California.

Police were searching for 21-year-old Martin-Capiendo, who also goes by Matthew or Matt Martin and Matthew or Matt Luzon in the slaying of Julian Hamori-Andrade, 20, of Glendora.

Martin and three other suspects allegedly beat the victim and dumped his body in Azusa Canyon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The other suspects — Hercules Balaskas, 18, of Glendora; Jacob Hunter Elmendorf, 19, of La Verne; and Francisco Amigon, 19, also of La Verne, were arrested on Thursday.

The four suspects were charged on Thursday with first-degree murder with special circumstances, first-degree residential robbery and kidnapping, prosecutors said. The charges include special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder during the commission of a kidnapping and robbery.

Balaskas allegedly beat the victim with a metal chair, prosecutors said. Marin was accused of using a rock and a broken glass pipe, officials said.

Capital murder charges make the suspects eligible for the death penalty.

Hamori-Andrade was beaten unconscious at Luzon's home on Monday before he was driven to Azusa Canyon where he was beaten again, thrown over the side of a road and left for dead, officials said.

Deputies found Hamori-Andrade's body Wednesday night in heavy brush about 30 feet down a hill off San Gabriel Canyon Road (Highway 39) near mile marker 20 in Azusa Canyon.

Drivers who saw the pickup truck on a roadside turnout the night Hamori-Andrade was dumped led investigators to the location, officials said.

Deputies said three of the suspects were acquaintances of Hamori-Andrade. 

It wasn't clear what led up to the killing.

On a gofundme page, family and friends described Hamori-Andrade as a beautiful soul.

"Life can be unfair in the most heartbreaking ways," the page read. "As of today, May 31st, our family lost an important piece of our hearts. At only 20 years old his life was taken from him, he lived his life the best way he could."

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