After NYPD Gives Up, Woman Finds Father's Killer With a Web Search

Technology empowers the individual

After the killing, the NYPD received information that Santos had run to the Dominican Republic and was incarcerated there for murder, and the case was closed in 1988, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said.

A year after Santos was imprisoned, he was released from the Dominican Republic prison. But the New York case remained closed. …

But Martinez scoured the Internet, reading stories and using MySpace, among other sites, to look for Santos.

She saved pictures and information she thought could lead to Santos' discovery. Martinez said she spent less than $300 on sites that conduct background checks to find his current location.

"My family told me, don't ever forget that name," she said.

In November last year, Martinez went looking for her father's file in the 34th precinct cold case division. And in January, she went back to the police chief at the precinct and presented her case.