Naman Shrestha
In ‘Real Time Crime: Beyond Recognition,’ we get taken on a journey across the States in order to get acquainted with a new weapon against crime — Real Time Crime Centers. These centers assist the police and communities by providing various surveillance cameras, gunshot detectors, and tracking systems while they look to catch some leads and suspects. One of the crimes that these centers helped the police tackle is the murder of Matthew Brooks in 2023. The episode includes interviews with the investigators as well as the loved ones of the victim, giving us a detailed account of the entire case.
Matthew Brooks Became a Victim of Gun Violence
Matthew Charles Brooks was welcomed into the world by Fred and Linda Brooks on January 7, 1976, in Charleston, Illinois. Besides his loving parents, he also shared a close-knit bond with his two brothers, Travis and Richard Brooks, and a sister, Cara O’Daniel. Brooks had not even turned a year old when he astounded his loved ones by displaying signs of him possessing exceptional skills. The fact that he grasped the idea behind the Halloween practice of trick-or-treating at such a young age served as a testament to his adeptness.
Brooks’ kind-hearted nature, coupled with his free-spirited personality and sharp-wittedness, made him quite approachable and earned him a lot of friends and well-wishers. Not only that, Matthew was also skilled at physical activities. While attending high school, he took part in various sports, such as wrestling and soccer. He went on to garner huge popularity among his peers and became a star wrestler. He also participated in the creative problem-solving program called Odyssey of the Mind and received legendary status.
An ally of the LGBTQ+ community, Matthew studied at the University of Oklahoma after graduating from high school. For higher studies, he moved to Jordan to study Arabic and lived life in the moment, going wherever it took him. Having lived a healthy and happy life, the 47-year-old still had a lot to look forward to. However, on November 27, 2023, the Northwest Oklahoma City neighborhood near Northwest 10th and Meridian Avenue, where he resided, echoed the sound of at least five gunshots, after which the police were called to the scene.
Upon arriving in the neighborhood, the authorities found Matthew’s body with numerous gunshot wounds in his van. The police reported that he was in his vehicle when the perpetrator/s approached and shot him multiple times. He was rushed to the hospital immediately in hopes of being able to save him. However, the injuries were way too fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The police then set up a perimeter around the crime scene and inspected the neighborhood to collect all the pieces of evidence they could find.
Surveillance Footage Led the Police to the Suspects
Once the police were done collecting evidence, they interviewed various neighbors to learn more about Matthew Brooks and the circumstances under which he was murdered in cold blood. Most of the neighbors were reluctant to speak on camera because of the dangerous situation. However, one of the residents of the neighborhood claimed that they saw a car drive by Matthew’s house multiple times on their security camera.
Without wasting any time, the cops then made the most of the Real Time Information Center (RITC) and obtained its surveillance video of the suspicious pickup truck to find out that there were three men involved in the killing of Matthew. Thanks to the video, the authorities were able to monitor the trio’s activity on the fateful day when they committed or got involved in the murder. At first, they left Guymon in the morning and headed towards Oklahoma City in a white Dodge Ram pickup, which was seen near the crime scene, while making a couple of stops in between — one at the Suger Creek Casino in Hinton and the other at a gas station in Watonga.
All these were backed up with the help of the suspects’ phone records. The investigators then learned that the vehicle was registered to the Guymon resident Jose Avelar-Martinez. Connecting the dots, they also discovered that a couple more Guymon locals – Jose Resendiz and Eric Triana – were with Avelar-Martinez in the vehicle. Reports suggested that the detectives believed that Eric was the one in front of the wheel while the other two committed the gruesome crime. As a result, all three suspects were slapped with the charge of first-degree murder of Matthew Brooks outside his home.
Eric Daniel Triana, Jose Avelar-Martinez and Jose Resendiz Are in Jail, Awaiting Trial
On December 7, 2023, the Oklahoma City Police Department made the news of bringing suspects Jose Avelar-Martinez and Eric Daniel Triana under police control public. The collaborative efforts of the local officers and the investigators of the United States Marshals Service resulted in the arrest of the 28-year-old and 21-year-old, respectively, at Guymon in Texas Country. Once they were apprehended by the authorities, the duo was extradited to Oklahoma County. At the time, 22-year-old Jose Resendiz was still on the lam. The determined officers pulled out all stops to nab the third suspect as soon as possible.
Their efforts ultimately bore fruit in the second week of 2024. It was on the morning of January 10, 2024, that Jose Resendiz was apprehended by the officers in Kansas City, Missouri, and the news was shared with the world by the police. The Oklahoma City Police Department has credited the surveillance footage obtained through the agency of Real Time Information Center (RTIC) with fueling the investigation and ultimately leading to the arrest of the three accused in the case. As of writing, Eric Daniel Triana, Jose Avelar-Martinez, and Jose Resendiz are behind bars awaiting trial in the murder case of 47-year-old Matthew Brooks.
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