“Polk County Man Arrested for 2 Murders: Grady Judd Provides Details | SEO-optimized Title”

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – After a months-long manhunt, law enforcement officials have finally apprehended Enrique Martinez, the man accused of two murders in Polk County, Florida.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd made the announcement in a video on Facebook Tuesday afternoon. He revealed that Martinez, 26, was found wandering on the sidewalk near Cooley Road and SR 540, leading to his capture by deputies.

According to Sheriff Judd, detectives were stunned to discover Martinez after an exhaustive search that lasted over two months. The hunt began following the initial murder of a man named Edil Rodriguez at a homeless camp on November 8, 2023.

RELATED: Grady Judd: Man wanted in homeless camp murder suspected in missing Polk County woman’s death

Efforts to locate Martinez intensified when investigators identified him as the prime suspect in the death of Sierra Hernandez, a 20-year-old woman reported missing on January 14. Authorities believe she was killed several days prior to her disappearance.

During a Monday news conference, Sheriff Judd confirmed that Hernandez’s body had been recovered by deputies.

Once Martinez was spotted by detectives, he attempted to flee into a nearby wooded area. Polk County deputies and the Winter Haven Police Department quickly established a perimeter in an effort to apprehend him.

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Fortunately, Martinez decided to surrender when he realized he was surrounded by law enforcement officers. Deputies swiftly took him into custody.

Sheriff Judd personally went to the location of Martinez’s arrest and spoke with him from the backseat of a patrol car.

\”I looked at him, and he said, ‘Hey, sheriff. How you doing?’ I said, ‘Fine, are you tired?’ He says, ‘I gave myself up,’\” Sheriff Judd recounted. \”Well, that’s a pretty easy choice when you’re surrounded by 100 deputy sheriffs with guns.\”

The investigation into Hernandez’s death remains active, and Sheriff Judd has promised to provide further updates on the case in the coming weeks.

Two families devastated by loss

The families of Edil Rodriguez, 33, and Sierra Hernandez, 20, are now grieving the loss of their loved ones. These tragic murders occurred months apart.

\”He was loved and well respected,\” said Melissa Rodriguez, Edil’s sister. \”He was a father of two. He would give his own shirt off his back to make sure you had something even though he didn’t have much.\”

Edil was brutally murdered at a homeless camp on 2nd Eloise Terrace in Eloise, an unincorporated area of Polk County, at 9:30 p.m. on November 8, 2023, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Melissa revealed that her brother was simply visiting a friend at the homeless camp and was not homeless himself. He resided across the street but had a disability. She referred to Martinez, the man suspected of killing him, as a \”monster.\”

\”Why did it take him killing somebody else for them to actually go look for him?\” Melissa Rodriguez questioned. The sheriff confirmed that Martinez had received help from family and friends in evading capture.

1. Missing woman’s death suspect captured
2. Homeless camp murder suspect apprehended.