SEATTLE — On Saturday afternoon, family, friends and community members gathered in West Seattle to remember Leticia Martinez, also known as “Leti.”
Martinez is the woman who police say was killed after she attended a Seattle Mariners Game on March 31. The man accused of the crime is in custody and awaiting trial, but the celebration of life on Saturday was focused on remembering who 58-year-old Leticia Martinez was and the impact she had on those who knew her and loved her.
“I'm taking it one day at a time,” said Ricardo Martinez, the brother of Leticia Martinez. “Days are getting a little bit brighter, but it's still, you know, a memory of my sister.”
“Leti’s departure from this earth came too soon, leaving a void in our life that can never be filled,” said one of Leticia's sisters to the room filled with people.
“My sister was very loving, caring, sharing,” said Ricardo Martinez. “She's a very positive person, very family oriented, you know, just a very bright light.”
Her family and friends said she shared that light as a mother, sister, and a member of the Buddhist community in Seattle.
“While we mourn her absence, we vow to keep her memory alive in our hearts and minds forever,” said one of her sisters.
“She will be missed, but she will still be here in spirit,” said Ricardo Martinez.
Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help support her son.
The suspect in the crime is 46-year-old Brett Gitchel. Leticia’s family said she met him at a Costco just days before the crime. Seattle Police said Gitchel was with Leticia at a Mariners game before she disappeared. Her body was found 11 days later in the woods in Renton.
Gitchel pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. He is also accused of kidnapping and attempted murder of Leticia’s adult son.