Suspect in Phoenix Cop Killing Identified, SPLC Unavailable for Comment

Well, that took long enough. A Phoenix police officer was murdered early this morning and just now the suspect has been identified.

Police have identified the man who allegedly shot a Phoenix police officer to death on Wednesday morning.

Danny Martinez, about 30 years old, is accused of killing 29-year-old Travis P. Murphy, who was searching for Martinez who was hiding in a Phoenix neighborhood.

The murdered officer, Travis Murphy, leaves a wife, a two-year-old and a two-week-old child behind.

Trent Crump with the Phoenix Police Department said police then received a call that someone was trying to cover, and possibly hide, a Ford Mustang at a home in the area and additional officers responded to the scene.

Crump said the first officers on scene split up to search for the suspect.

Murphy encountered the shooter and was shot, said Crump.

Police put Murphy, an officer from the Squaw Peak Precinct, in a police car to take him to the hospital instead of waiting for an ambulance.

Murphy was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he died from his injuries.

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Mark Spencer said Murphy has a wife, a 2-year-old daughter, and a 2-week-old son. Spencer also believes Murphy has a brother or sister on the Glendale Fire Department.

He was with the department for about five years.

Rich Rodriguez, a neighbor, said he saw the Mustang back into an abandoned house and the suspect trying to cover it. After police came, Rodriguez said he heard gunfire and saw an officer on the ground.

A search for the suspect was launched and homes in the area were evacuated.

The Hispanic suspect, who Crump said is in the country legally, was reportedly found hiding in a shed in a backyard and was taken into custody. A weapon was also recovered at the scene and a substantial amount of evidence has been recovered.

That suspect sustained injuries from a K9 bite and a rubber bullet, according to Crump.

They should have used real bullets on this mutant.

Curiously national media is ignoring this story. With Arizona in the news so much lately you'd think this story was newsworthy. Shepard Smith just had a report from Arizona, but no mention of a cop killing.

Last week those grifters at the Southern Poverty Law Center were all over the news after two Arkansas police officers were killed, jumping all over some alleged "extremist" beliefs of the suspects. I notice they and their blog stooges are silent today.

Update: More on this scumbag Martinez.

KGUN9 News dug into public records and found that has a criminal history record from the Tucson area. In November of 2005 Martinez was involved in an incident that led to him being charged with Felony Misconduct Involving Weapons. Martinez spent time in the Arizona Department of Corrections Lewis facility in western Maricopa County where he was released on September 30th of 2009. During his time in the prison Martinez was charged with a smuggling contraband charge. In 2003 Martinez was also found guilty of theft.

Seems he's a career criminal.

Phoenix Public Safety Manager Jack Harris confirmed Martinez has an extensive violent crimes record.

According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Martinez has an extensive criminal record.

He has been in and out of prison as far back as 1997 for charges including misconduct involving weapons, criminal damage, criminal trespassing and also for drug violations.

While in prison, Martinez also faced additional charges for smuggling contraband

He probably faced a lot of "empathetic" judges like this guy over the years.