The daughter of a slain restaurant owner stared down his alleged killer today in a Manhattan courtroom, as he faced charges for the 1986 murder.
Justo Santos, 43, pleaded not guilty to the murder of beloved Inwood restaurateur Jose Martinez on Nov. 22, 1986 as his daughter Joselyn Martinez and over 20 friends and relatives looked on.
When Santos was brought into Manhattan Supreme Court for the short arraignment with his hands shackled behind his back, he didn’t glance back at the victim’s family. Martinez, who was nine when her father was murdered, smiled widely as he entered.
“This is something I have been waiting for a very long time,” said the Bronx beauty, 36, as she stood beside her mother outside the courthouse. “His family is here and they’re finally going to get a chance for justice.”
The aspiring actress’ eyes brimmed with tears as she spoke of her dad. “The anniversary of my father’s death has always been difficult and Father’s Day which was yesterday,” she said. “It’s 26 years without my dad and this year people said it could be different and it was, I did something for him.”
Martinez looked stunning in a fuchsia blouse and pastel green slacks.
Santos had been on the run, and was finally caught, thanks to the loving dedication of Martinez’s daughter, officials said.
The devoted daughter used her social network skills to track down Santos to the Dominican Republic and Miami. She tipped off New York cops to Santos last week, finally leading to his arrest.
“Thanks to her unfailing commitment to finding her father’s killer, the defendant will finally face justice in New York,” Manhattan DA CY Vance said, in announcing Santos’ indictment.
ADA Julie Nobel told the judge she’d introduce evidence of Santos confessing on videotape recently and in a tape recorded conversation from 1987.
Additional reporting by David K. Li