On the night of May 12, 2003, 16-year-old Martha Puebla sat outside her home in Sun Valley, California, sharing a quiet moment with a friend. Within minutes, her life was stolen by a gunman who asked for her by name before firing multiple shots and disappearing into the night. What seemed like a cold, calculated execution quickly unravelled into a web of investigative missteps, courtroom drama, and one extraordinary twist of fate.

Join me as we explore the murder of Martha Puebla — a tragic case that led detectives down a winding path of gang retaliation, eyewitness errors, and a young man falsely accused. Juan Catalan was arrested for Martha’s murder, based on shaky testimony and a grainy photo lineup. But just as his case seemed destined for a grim ending, an unlikely piece of evidence surfaced — hidden in the background of a popular TV show being filmed the night of the murder.

This is a story of justice nearly derailed — and the miracle that saved an innocent man from death row.

Sources:

https://www.dailynews.com/2008/07/02/la-gang-member-gets-life-for-killing-teenage-girl/

https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-interrogate2-2008jul02-story.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/06/07/face-in-the-crowd

https://studylib.net/doc/18288765/1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik 

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/

Our Sponsors:
* Visit Mood.com and use code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% on your first order.


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy