A Mother’s Quest for Truth: The Unexplained Death of Ruben Ray Martinez

A Family’s Nightmare Without Answers

Nearly a year has passed since Rachel Reyes lost her 23-year-old son, Ruben Ray Martinez, yet she remains in the dark about the circumstances surrounding his death. What she does know is that her son, an American citizen, was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on South Padre Island, Texas, in March 2025. What she doesn’t know—and what keeps her awake at night—is why. Despite almost twelve months passing since that tragic day, Reyes has received no videos, no evidence, and no official reports that might explain what happened to her son. Adding to her frustration and pain, ICE’s involvement in the shooting wasn’t even publicly acknowledged until eleven months after Martinez’s death. As a mother born and raised in Texas, Reyes isn’t demanding the impossible; she simply wants the truth. “I’m not a mother in denial. I’m just a mother in doubt, because I know my son and I know he’s not a threat,” she told CBS News in her first television interview since losing Ruben. For Reyes, understanding what really happened that night isn’t just about finding answers—it’s about finding closure and ensuring that what happened to her son doesn’t happen to someone else’s child.

A Birthday Celebration Turned Deadly

Ruben Ray Martinez had traveled to South Padre Island that March weekend with his close friend Joshua Orta to celebrate his birthday. It was a milestone moment for the young man—his first time leaving the San Antonio area without his family. What should have been a joyful celebration of another year of life tragically became his last night alive. According to an internal ICE report obtained through a public records request, federal agents were assisting local police officers with traffic direction following a car accident in the late-night hours. The report states that Martinez, driving a blue Ford, “failed to follow instructions” when approaching the area, eventually slowing to a stop after commands from agents. The official account claims that after agents surrounded the vehicle and ordered Martinez to exit, he “accelerated forward” and struck one of the ICE agents. In response, another ICE agent allegedly fired “multiple rounds” at Martinez through an open side window. Despite receiving first aid at the scene, Martinez was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Department of Homeland Security later released a statement claiming that the agent fired “defensive shots” after Martinez “intentionally” ran over an officer. However, this version of events has been vehemently disputed by those who knew what really happened that night.

Contradicting Stories and Lost Testimony

Joshua Orta, Martinez’s close friend who was in the passenger seat during the fatal encounter, provided a dramatically different account of what transpired that night. In a draft declaration prepared by Martinez’s lawyers, Orta painted a picture of a confusing and rapidly escalating situation that bore little resemblance to the official government narrative. According to Orta, the two young men had spent the evening having “a few drinks” at a friend’s condo, unsuccessfully trying to enter a club, attending a pool party, and grabbing food at Whataburger. When they encountered law enforcement officers, one noticed they had an open container of alcohol in the car and told them to “turn around and leave.” Orta claimed that as they attempted to comply, another officer “walked up to our car (and) slapped the hood.” Most critically, Orta stated unequivocally: “I later learned that the trooper’s report said that Ruben had ‘hit’ the officer. That’s not true. I was present, and I state clearly and without hesitation that Ruben did not hit anyone.” He described the car as merely “crawling” or “coasting,” insisting that “Ruben never hit the gas” and that “the troopers were never in danger from Ruben and could have easily stepped aside.” Orta’s account stated that an ICE agent approached the driver’s side and, “without giving any warning, commands, or opportunity to comply,” fired multiple shots at Martinez “from an extremely close distance—no more than two feet.” The last words Orta heard his friend say were “I’m sorry,” before he slumped backward. Tragically, Orta died in a separate car crash last month, before he could sign the declaration and testify, taking his eyewitness account with him to the grave.

A Mother’s Disbelief and Growing Distrust

Rachel Reyes has made it clear that she doesn’t believe the Department of Homeland Security’s version of events, particularly their claim that her son intentionally ran over an agent. “That adds insult to injury, because there was no officer run over and there was no officer injured, and there’s contradicting statements, and that makes me distrustful,” she said. Her distrust is deepened by the fact that she has yet to see any evidence supporting the government’s narrative. Reyes knew her son in a way no official report ever could. “He was not a violent person. He was not aggressive,” she insisted, describing a humble young man who worked at an Amazon warehouse and enjoyed simple pleasures like music, cars, video games, and spending time with friends. “He was just the light of our house,” she recalled with obvious pain. “He would always make us laugh.” A toxicology screen conducted after the shooting detected alcohol and marijuana in Martinez’s system, but his family’s attorney, Charles Stam, emphasized that Martinez “was never stopped on suspicion of public intoxication or driving under the influence or anything of that nature.” Stam also noted that according to Orta’s statement, Martinez’s car was in park when the shots were fired, and his final words were “I’m sorry, sir”—hardly the behavior of someone posing a deadly threat. Last month, a grand jury rejected criminal charges in the shooting, a decision that offers no comfort to Reyes as she continues her search for truth and accountability.

A Call for Reform, Not Revenge

What makes Rachel Reyes’ response to her son’s death particularly remarkable is her measured approach despite her profound grief. As an American citizen with deep Texas roots, Reyes said her family has always had great respect for law enforcement officials. She even voted for President Trump in 2024. But respect for authority doesn’t mean blind acceptance of its actions. “I don’t blame President Trump for the death of my son, ’cause he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger,” Reyes stated clearly. “But I do think that something needs to be changed in that department as far as the pattern of violence or abuse and impunity.” Her call isn’t for vengeance but for systemic reform—a change in how immigration agents conduct their duties to prevent other families from experiencing the same devastating loss. Reyes has drawn connections between her son’s death and the fatal shootings of other U.S. citizens by immigration agents, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. In each case, she argues, the government has used “cold words” to “misrepresent” the actions of federal agents. However, she’s also quick to point out that her son wasn’t engaged in any protest or political activity. “He was just a young guy looking for a spring break birthday celebration,” she said—an ordinary American enjoying his freedom, until that freedom was taken from him forever.

The Unbearable Weight of What Will Never Be

When asked what she misses most about her son, Rachel Reyes’ answer was heartbreakingly simple: “Just his presence. Just him being there, you know?” But beyond the immediate absence is the loss of everything that will never be—”the hopes and dreams that he had, (that) he was enthusiastically looking forward to.” She’ll never see her son’s children, never watch him build the life he was planning, never share in the future he should have had. “It was just taken from us,” she said. “And I feel it was preventable.” The Texas Department of Public Safety, which served as the lead agency investigating the fatal shooting, completed its investigation but has yet to release its findings publicly. After CBS News submitted questions about Reyes’ comments, a spokesperson said the agency would release records related to the shooting. Meanwhile, DHS maintains its position, stating in a recent statement that “this incident was investigated by the state authorities and presented to a grand jury who unanimously found no criminality,” and that the ICE agent who shot Martinez discharged his firearm to “protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.” For Rachel Reyes, however, no official statement can fill the void left by her son’s absence or answer the fundamental question that haunts her: Why? “I just want to know what happened, why they feel it was justified,” she said. “I think just knowing the truth will give me closure.” Until that day comes, a mother continues to wait, to grieve, and to seek the answers that might help her understand why her son never came home from his birthday celebration.