Witness to 2025 Texas immigration agent shooting dies in car crash

In Brief

Joshua Orta, witness to a 2025 fatal shooting by immigration agent, died in a San Antonio car crash, according to family lawyer.

Key Facts

• Joshua Orta was a passenger in the car when Ruben Ray Martinez was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent in March 2025
• Orta gave a statement to lawyers for Martinez’s family disputing the government’s version of events, according to the family’s lawyer
• Orta died on Saturday in a fiery car crash in San Antonio, Texas, as reported by Martinez’s family lawyer
• Ruben Ray Martinez was the driver fatally shot by the immigration agent in March 2025
• The family’s lawyer confirmed Orta’s death and his role as a witness

What Happened

In March 2025, Ruben Ray Martinez was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent in Texas while driving. Joshua Orta, the passenger and witness, provided a statement to lawyers for Martinez’s family disputing the government’s account, according to the family’s lawyer. Orta died in a car crash in San Antonio in June 2026, as reported by the family’s lawyer.

Why It Matters

Orta’s death removes a witness who provided a statement challenging the government’s version of the shooting, according to the family’s lawyer. The incident involves federal immigration enforcement and ongoing legal and public attention to use-of-force cases.