"I've spent the past two years just trying to be me, when really I don't know me anymore. So much has changed that [it] makes my head spin. I've let life pass me by and I don't know how to catch up."
What you just read is from a March 31, 2008, MySpace blog entry, written by Liette “Lola” N. Martinez. Last week, the 22-year-old Purdue University student from Las Cruces, N.M. was found dead in her campus apartment, leaving many wondering how she became the 13th homicide in Allen County this year.
On the afternoon of April 18, Lola's roommate returned to her dorm room and found Lola lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Unable to elicit a response, the roommate called 9-1-1. When paramedics arrived on the scene they declared Lola dead and police cordoned off the area to determine if a homicide had occurred.
Few details were immediately released. University police responded by sending an e-mail to the campus community just alerting them that a student had been found dead and that the death was under investigation. The status of that investigation changed just before 3 p.m., when University police sent a second e-mail, stating the death appeared to be a homicide. In speaking with local reporters, Indianapolis police said that an All Points Bulletin (APB) had been issued for Lola's missing 2006 silver Mazda, New Mexico license plate JMR482.
"I'm shocked and my heart goes out to the parents and her close friends and family, cause you never really understand, you have so many questions as to why?" student Zuri Maiden told The Journal Gazette.
The following morning the Allen County Coroner conducted an autopsy on Lola. The coroner officially ruled her death a homicide after determining she died as a result of excessive blood loss from a stab wound. Following the autopsy, police contacted Lola's father, Gabriel Martinez. They told him they were searching for a person of interest in the case, who was allegedly related to one of Lola's roommates.
As the investigation continued, police in Indianapolis arrested 36-year-old Tina Loraine Morris, after they found her in possession of Lola's car. Fort Wayne police drove to Indianapolis, transported Morris back to Fort Wayne Saturday evening, and questioned her about the murder. It remains unclear what was said during the interrogation; however afterwards police charged Morris with murder and auto theft.
Police have yet to comment on Morris's arrest and it remains unclear if Morris is related to one of Lola's roommates. Police have also not yet commented on a possible motive in the case. Morris is currently being held in the Allen County jail pending her first court appearance.
Yesterday, a user with the screen name "Natalie RShae" posted the following message to Lola's MySpace page, purportedly written by Lola's family:
"We wish to extend our thanks to those of you who wished our family well and put our family in their prayers. You may think it a small gesture but for our family it was comforting to know that so many of you love her as much as we do. It has touched our family deeply at a time when it matters most. We will never forget our beautiful Liette and keep her in our hearts forever. Her brilliant light continues to shine through her family and friends and she will never be far from our hearts and mind. We know she would not want us to mourn her but to celebrate her life because she always celebrated and enjoyed life. Keep her memory and spirit alive in the way we treat and accept those around us as she would. May God keep and love you all forever."