Witness in ICE Shooting Fatality Killed in Car Accident Following Discrepancy with Official Report

Joshua Orta, the sole eyewitness to a fatal 2025 ICE shooting involving an immigration agent, passed away over the weekend in a car crash near San Antonio. Orta, aged 25, was present when his friend Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was shot and killed by a federal agent on South Padre Island, Texas, in March 2025.

The role of ICE agents in the incident was not publicly revealed until recent document disclosures. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Martinez failed to comply and hit an agent, leading to the agent firing. Internal records indicated that ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents were aiding local police with traffic control when the confrontation occurred.

Orta provided a detailed version of events to Martinez's family attorneys, contrary to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's narrative. According to his account, Martinez was attempting to comply while traffic was backed up when an agent tried to get in front of the car. Orta stated that officers drew their guns, fired multiple shots without warning, and Martinez was unarmed and non-resisting.

Before the accident, Orta intended to formally sign the statement and cooperate with further investigations. Law enforcement confirmed that his death resulted from a separate highway collision early Saturday and was unrelated to the 2025 shooting.

Martinez's family has been advocating for transparency and an impartial inquiry into the shooting. Orta's demise has eliminated a crucial eyewitness in those efforts.