Maritza Martin Munoz

Born

1959-10-29

Died

1993-01-18

Birthplace

Havana, Cuba

Biography

Maritza Martin Munoz (October 29, 1959 – January 18, 1993) was a Cuban-American woman who was shot to death by her ex-husband Emilio Nuñez at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale, Florida. Nuñez had been interviewed by Ocurrió Así television reporter Ingrid Cruz, who accompanied him when he visited his daughter's grave. Martin and Nuñez's 15-year-old daughter Yoandra had committed suicide two months earlier following their discovery of her being 13 weeks pregnant, and Nuñez had blamed the incident on Martin. Nuñez believed that their daughter had been abused by her stepfather and murdered or driven to suicide by her mother. Investigators rejected both theories: Martin had raised Yoandra; Nuñez was prevented from having contact with her. While the crew was filming Nuñez at the cemetery, Martin arrived for her visit, and Cruz confronted Martin, sitting silently in her vehicle, insisting that Martin answer her questions. As Cruz continued banging on Martin's window, trying to get her to talk, Nuñez left the gravesite and returned to his vehicle. Martin then left her car, noted Nuñez's license plate number, and turned towards the grave, while ignoring Cruz's constant barrage of questions. As Martin started silently walking towards the grave with Cruz still peppering her with questions, Nuñez returned with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, shot Martin in the back of the head, then shot her now prone body several more times. The cameraman managed to film the shots while Cruz fled towards the station vehicle. The footage was later used in the 1993 shockumentary films Traces of Death and Death Scenes 3, as well as Michael Moore's 2002 documentary film Bowling for Columbine.