BILLINGS - A 15-year-old boy was taken into custody on Thursday, April 4, 2024, on suspicion of negligent homicide in the March shooting death of 12-year-old Andy Paul Beartusk Martinez, according to Billings police.
Lt. Matt Lennick said in a news release that the 15-year-old also faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence. He was booked into Youth Services; it is not yet known if he will be charged as an adult.
Martinez was found dead on March 15 of a gunshot wound in a shed on the 900 block of Terry Avenue. He had been missing since March 7.
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Police arrested a 13-year-old boy on suspicion of tampering with evidence last month. On Thursday, that boy was arraigned on two charges of tampering with evidence and obstructing a peace officer, according to Lennick.
Police identified a 19-year-old "person of interest" in March, but Lennick did not say Thursday whether he was arrested or remains under suspicion.
Police have not released the names of any of the teens involved.
(MARCH 15, 2024) Billings police say that officers have detained a 19-year-old "person of interest" in connection with a homicide, and arrested a 13-year-old on suspicion of tampering with evidence.
The 19-year-old was detained, according to Lennick, but he has not been charged at this point. The 13-year-old was charged and taken into custody of Youth Services.
Lt. Matt Lennick said in a news release that police recovered the body of Andy Paul Beartusk Martinez in an outbuilding after obtaining a search warrant for a residence on the 900 block of Terry Avenue.
While Lennick did not identify Martinez in the release, family members confirmed the identity to MTN News.
Martinez was reported missing March 7, and police followed up leads in Billings and in Pryor, according to Lennick. Family members also took up the search in the area around Central Park, where he was last seen.
Family of Martinez say he was visiting Billings from California when he disappeared and believe he had gotten involved in gang activity. Billings police also say the group of teens the 12-year-old was known to associate with were well known to officers.
We will update you as we get more information.
