A five-day manhunt ended Aug. 24 when Israel Paul Martinez surrendered to police at his mother’s home in Houston after investigators identified him as the man suspected of shooting two people in Hempstead Aug. 20.

According to Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith, Martinez was wanted by police after it was believed he shot two people while they were sitting in their car near FM 1488 and US 290 during a possible drug deal gone bad at approximately 8:15 p.m.

One of the men in the vehicle was shot three times and was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital while the other was treated at the scene.

Shortly after the shooting a man and woman reported to Waller County police that their Ford Escape had been carjacked. Martinez was later spotted driving the vehicle and a brief chase ensued.

Smith said Martinez ditched the vehicle near a creek and fled into the woods, where police lost his trail.

Police and investigators, including a dog tracking unit and helicopter, hunted Martinez in the woods to no avail.

“We used every available resource we could,” Smith said. “We kept him in the woods, but he worked his way back to 290.”

Smith believes Martinez was able to contact a friend, who likely picked Martinez up near US 290 and gave him a ride into Houston.

“I don’t know who gave him a ride,” Smith said. “I’m sure he called a friend.”

It was later discovered that the couple who reported their vehicle stolen by Martinez were, in fact, acquaintances of the suspect and loaned him their vehicle. The two were arrested for false reporting, a class B misdemeanor, police said.

Authorities later issued an arrest warrant for Martinez for attempted murder. Over the next few days, members of the Hempstead Police Department, Waller County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice conducted an investigation and manhunt for Martinez.

It wasn’t until Aug. 24 that Martinez turned himself in. According to Smith, Martinez was being held in the Waller County Jail as of press time last week

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