Followup: Roxhill Park murder victim officially identified

Though it is certainly overshadowed by what happened on 14th SW this afternoon, the investigation continues into what was West Seattle’s first murder of 2010 – discovered just yesterday morning (WSB coverage here). Tonight, the man found dead in Roxhill Park around 7:30 am Wednesday is officially identified as 40-year-old Bernard Martin, and the Medical Examiner’s media-hotline report also describes his cause of death as injuries to “the trunk,” primarily rib fractures – police had said he appeared to have been beaten, but had not elaborated. Prior to Mr. Martin’s death, West Seattle hadn’t had a murder case since February 2009 – there were two in 2009, one in 2008, two in 2007 (a third homicide case was ruled self-defense), and we haven’t finished researching 2006 yet (we started covering news in late 2006). No word of an arrest, or even a suspect description, in Wednesday’s killing.

11 Replies to "Followup: Roxhill Park murder victim officially identified"

  • pam September 23, 2010 (10:07 pm)

    This is so sad, I feel so awful for him and his family. What a tragedy.

  • LEAH September 24, 2010 (6:14 am)

    Hey Beans, please know that your family is thinking of you and we love so much god bless…

  • Debbie September 24, 2010 (6:58 am)

    I spoke with Leah this morning and my heart breaks for the entire family. You are all in my thoughts and prayers as you deal with this tragedy and loss.

  • onceachef September 24, 2010 (12:12 pm)

    Does anyone know much about Brenard? Was he a WS resident…transient? What drives people to such violence?…tragic and sad to say the least. Let’s hope that whoever did it is caught as this was a violent death.

  • Karen September 24, 2010 (9:19 pm)

    Hey, just had to deal with a “private citizen from Kent” at the park who apparently does independent murder investigations for fun. Caused me and another parent to go tearing out to the park when we heard some random dude was questioning a group of our 13-14 year olds for any evidence they might have seen. I let him know his behavior was inappropriate, as did the police who responded to my 911 call. He did not *quite* cross the line into impersonating an officer or harassment, so he wasn’t doing anything technically illegal….just highly inappropriate. He said he wasn’t coming back, but please keep an eye out for anyone who decides to play vigilante investigator. Thanks!

  • Karen September 25, 2010 (12:28 am)

    My teenager recognized Bernard as the very drunk man who approached her group of friends and accused her of “abusing her guitar” by not playing it. This was a few weeks ago, during the day at Roxhill park. They were all pretty uncomfortable. The guys in the group did a protective wall (standing with crossed arms and a glare) around the girls and they all packed up and left. He was in no way threatening to the teens, just “creepy” and quite drunk. This would certainly match family descriptions of Bernard as someone struggling with both mental illness and alcohol.
    They didn’t realize it was the same man until they went to pay their respects at the shrine and saw his picture. Needless to say, it was pretty shocking to them when they realized they knew the victim.
    My sympathies to Bernard’s family. My sympathies to Bernard himself. What a terrible way to die. I hope Bernard’s killer/s are caught soon. Better yet, I hope they get the courage to turn themselves in.

  • Karlynn September 25, 2010 (10:42 am)

    This whole situation makes me so sad. For the victim, his family, our community as a whole. This kind of violence and lack of humanity is unforgivable. No one deserves to die like this and I hope the dirtbags that did it are caught and brought to justice. This disregard for human life, no mattered how flawed, is sickening.

  • Mz2lee September 26, 2010 (10:31 am)

    Karlynn, Beanie was an alcoholic with some emotional issues. But he also was an artist,guitar player,singer,joker,caring,soft spoken,non threating and LOVED person. His passion for playing guitar and singing (which he got from his mother) might be the reason he told your daughter that she was “abusing her guitar” which meant, she was walking around with it instead of sitting playing it. Since you no NOTHING about Beanie but you know of him, then you wouldn’t know the difference between him being “very drunk” and sober. Please quit trying to quote our family by taking our words and putting your twist on it, especially at this point in time.Thank you for your sympathy.

  • The Watcher September 26, 2010 (1:39 pm)

    Since accountability is not required to be a sociopath on the internet-let me have a crack at manipulating human feelings. “Beanie” was a street person who stayed with anybody who took pity on him. He came into this world penniless and left this world penniless. The difference was he wasn’t materialistic and he always shared and helped people less fortunate than himself. The peole that snuffed him out at the park, if they were trying to rob him all they had to do was ask him for the money, he would have gave what he had. The good things that have been said about him by people who knew him, they forgot to mention he was misunderstood. If you didn’t know him, he didn’t make a very good first impression. For those who knew him he was goofy and humorous. There is a saying on the street, and for those who believe in justice and karma, the saying is: “What goes around comes around!”

  • Mz2lee September 26, 2010 (1:48 pm)

    My apologies to Karlynn, the comment I left was meant for Karen.

  • Karen T September 27, 2010 (9:24 am)

    The weekend before he was on our street looking at a house to rent. I had some free stuff out in front of our house and he came over and we had a very nice conversation. He picked out a bunch of candles for his mother and said he thought she would really like them. That was my only encounter with him, but he seemed a very gentle, thoughtful man.

Sorry, comment time is over.