Authorities identified the dead man and linked him to a separate knife assault.
SAN JACINTO, Calif. — Riverside County homicide investigators are reviewing a deadly home shooting after a San Jacinto homeowner killed a shotgun-armed intruder Friday night, officials said.
The case began as an assault with a deadly weapon call and later expanded when investigators said the dead man, 45-year-old Ismael Martinez, had attacked his girlfriend with a knife before entering a nearby home. Sheriff’s officials said no arrests had been made.
The incident was reported at 10:23 p.m. June 5 in the 1300 block of Heron Way. Deputies from the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station found a man with gunshot wounds and evidence of a shooting. The man died at the scene. Investigators said the homeowner had been visiting a neighbor when he heard screams and gunfire coming from his own home, then ran back and saw an unknown man inside with a shotgun.
According to the sheriff’s office, the homeowner got a gun and confronted the intruder inside the residence. Martinez fired multiple shots at him, and the homeowner fired back, investigators said. The homeowner was not hurt. Authorities have not released the number of shots fired, the type of gun used by the homeowner or whether anyone else was inside the home at the time.
In an update, sheriff’s officials identified Martinez as a San Jacinto resident and said he had assaulted his 52-year-old girlfriend with a knife before the Heron Way shooting. Deputies found the woman in a vehicle near the scene on South Kirby Street. She was taken to a local hospital and was listed in stable condition. Investigators said Martinez and the woman did not appear to have any relationship to the home where he was shot.
The homeowner was taken to the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station as part of the investigation. Sheriff’s officials said the case will be sent to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for review. That review will determine how prosecutors view the shooting once the sheriff’s investigation is complete. Officials have not announced any hearing date or charging decision.
The late-night shooting brought deputies, homicide investigators and emergency crews into a neighborhood of single-family homes. The sheriff’s office said the Central Homicide Unit assumed the case after deputies found the wounded man. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact Investigator Cook or Investigator Ghiliotty as they work to fill gaps in the timeline.
The case remains open as of Tuesday. Martinez has been identified, the injured woman remains stable, and the homeowner has not been arrested while investigators prepare the case for prosecutorial review.
Author note: Last updated June 9, 2026.