UPDATED: Police Seek Two Men for Questioning About Homicide

Updated July 28 10:18 a.m.: Fredericksburg Police have located Leonardo Martinez, known as "El Jarocho" Friday morning and he has been speaking with detectives, said police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe.

"Mr. Martinez was among a group of men who were waiting to be picked up for work this morning near the 7-Eleven at Bragg Hill," she said. "We are still very interested in finding Juan Gonzales."

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Fredericksburg Police detectives are looking for two men who they believe could have important information about the murder of Armando Escobar,

Police spokeswoman Natalia Bledsoe said that Escobar lived at the homeless camp with a number of other Hispanic men and the area was well known to the Hispanic community in the Bragg Hill area as "La Montana." She said the homeless people who lived at the homeless camp were self-sufficient and did not rely on the services of Micah Ministries or other local agencies.

"They live in tents and wash in the stream. Many of them take day labor jobs every day, are paid in cash, and send it back to wherever they call home," she said.

Bledsoe said detectives are very interested in speaking with Juan Gonzales and Leonardo Martinez, also known as "El Jarocho," who both lived at La Montana.

"We believe these men were friends/acquaintances of Escobar and may have information that could be important to this investigation, even though they may not even know that it’s important," she said. "We are hoping that the community will help us find them."

Martinez is 51 years old and with a thin mustache. He was in the woods when police arrived, although not within sight of Escobar’s tent. Martinez spoke to the first arriving officer and helped her find Escobar’s campsite. Martinez is from El Salvador.  

Gonzales has a dark complexion, is in his 50s, with no facial hair. Bledsoe said he often wears a white button-up collared shirt and khaki pants. He is believed to have ties to the Hispanic community in Westmoreland County.

"These men are not suspects, but we believe they may be able to help us solve this murder," she said. "It should be emphasized again that we are not at all concerned with whether or not someone is here legally, or whether or not they live in a tent."

Escobar is survived by a wife and two children and a brother who are all still in El Salvador. He is also survived by a brother who lives in Spotsylvania County. Bledsoe said detectives interviewed numerous people Thursday in the Bragg Hill area and they all were familiar with Escobar and called him a "good guy." 

The Fredericksburg Police Department received a 911 call at 10:13 a.m. Wednesday from a caller who stated that a man located in a homeless camp behind the Central Park Townhomes appeared to be dead. Escobar has obvious signs of trauma to his body, police said.

"Many of them became emotional when hearing of his death," she said. "There were no reports that he caused any particular problems within their community.  Escobar was acknowledged to have a drinking problem, but he also did odd jobs in the neighborhood and helped out at the 7-Eleven taking out the trash and sweeping up."

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