Two Livermore men arrested in connection with killing at motel

Two men from Livermore were arrested on suspicion of killing another local man at the Motel 6 in town in what police said was likely a gang-related shooting late Friday night.

Phe Phan, 27, and Ronnie Ray Martinez Jr., 29, were booked into the Santa Rita Jail over the weekend, according to Livermore police Sgt. Steve Goard. It is unclear whether the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has filed formal charges in the homicide case yet.

The name of the victim was still being withheld as of Monday afternoon, according to Goard.

Livermore Police Department officers responded to the Motel 6 just off the freeway on Lassen Road at 11:57 p.m. Friday on a report that a shooting just occurred. Officers arrived to find a 24-year-old Livermore man on the ground outside a motel room with a gunshot wound, according to Goard.

The man was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, according to the sergeant.

“LPD detectives responded to the scene and took over the investigation, quickly developing and following up on leads,” Goard said.

The victim was shot outside of any room, but the circumstances of what exactly transpired are unclear. But subsequent investigation led detectives to identify Phan and Martinez as their prime suspects, according to the sergeant.

“All indications point to this being a gang-related event. We can’t say for sure they knew each other personally. As for what occurred prior, at this point, we do not know,” Goard told the Weekly.

Detectives determined Phan and Martinez were in Tracy on Saturday, and at around 5:45 p.m. that day the Livermore police tactical team and Tracy Police Department apprehended the two men and placed them under arrest on suspicion of murder, according to Goard.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, and anyone with information on the case can contact the Livermore PD tip line at 925-371-4790, Goard said. Callers can stay anonymous.