This May marks four years since the mysterious death of Enrique Roman-Martinez.

What You Need To Know

  • Enrique Roman-Martinez was found dead in May 2020

  • He was reported missing around a week before his head washed ashore off the North Carolina coast 

  • His case remains cold and the Army is asking for assistance

Roman-Martinez was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne unit at Fort Bragg, now called Fort Liberty, when he went camping with a group of soldiers at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina in May 2020.

A few days into the trip, a member of the group called 911 saying Roman-Martinez had gone missing. A week later, the head of Roman-Martinez was found after it washed ashore a few miles away on Shackleford Banks.

No other remains were found then or since, and no one has been charged in his death.

In 2022, the Army created a centralized cold case unit, which it didn’t have when Roman-Martinez died.

And as Spectrum News reported last fall, Roman-Martinez’s death sparked legislation in Congress to help the Army improve communication around homicide cases.

This May, California Democratic Rep. Norma Torres, who helped pass that legislation, called on lawmakers to increase funding for the military’s criminal investigative units, including the Army’s. Torres said the funding is needed to handle the number of military cases, including the cold case of Roman-Martinez.

On Thursday, four years to the day Roman-Martinez was reported missing, the Army encouraged anyone with information to contact the Army. It continues to offer a reward of up to $50,000 for credible information concerning the circumstances surrounding his death.

If you have information, you can contact Army Criminal Investigation Division special agents at 910-391-4911. You can speak with special agents about options to remain anonymous.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the Army CID Submit a Tip online form here.