Federal agent accused of shooting woman in Chicago drove work SUV to Maine; judge demands his return

ICE agent accused of shooting woman in Chicago drove work SUV to Maine; judge demands his return

A judge just ordered an ICE agent back to Chicago after learning he drove a key piece of evidence more than 1,000 miles away.

CHICAGO - Explosive new information came out in federal court in Chicago on Thursday.

What we know:

The Border Patrol agent accused of shooting Marimar Martinez, who was hit five times, drove the government-issued SUV involved in the incident all the way from Chicago to Maine, raising fresh concerns about potential evidence mishandling.

That’s over 1,100 miles — crossing multiple jurisdictions — after the shooting, after the crash, and after body-worn camera footage was recorded.

The government acknowledged the agent’s assignment in Chicago had ended, and the vehicle was driven back to his home base in Maine. But the vehicle remains key to the investigation.

According to court statements, Martinez’s legal team wants access to inspect the SUV, but it’s now hundreds of miles away. Meanwhile, their vehicles are still being held as evidence.

The judge overseeing the case responded sharply. Directing her comments to government attorneys, she ordered:

"I am directing you to tell the agent to be brought back to Chicago as soon as possible," said Georgia Alexakis, a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The judge also noted that she’s worked in a professional manner with some of the attorneys in the case, but that wouldn’t stop her ability to be impartial.

New footage contradicts federal narrative

Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente, revealed in court that body camera video shows federal agents ramming into Martinez — not the other way around. This directly contradicts federal agents’ claims that Martinez was a threat who rammed them.

The footage also reportedly shows one Border Patrol agent, moments before opening fire, aiming an assault rifle and shouting: "Do something, b---h."

Call for preservation of evidence

Parente is now filing an amended preservation order demanding that:

• All texts and communications from the agent who fired be preserved.
• Any repairs, inspections, or even car washes performed on the SUV be documented and preserved.
• All ICE and Homeland Security communications, including emails, texts, notes, and internal documents, be retained.

This follows earlier inconsistencies uncovered by the media, including FOX 32's Oct. 7 report, showing discrepancies between what federal officials told the media and what the evidence shows.

Where was Martinez really?

Homeland Security initially told the media that the incident occurred near Broadview, but court records now show Martinez was in Brighton Park, warning residents about ICE patrols. Behind her was another vehicle driven by Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, also following ICE agents.

Officials claimed agents were "boxed in by 10 cars" and one driver had a semi-automatic weapon. But police scanner audio and witness testimony contradict that narrative:

• Martinez’s gun remained in her purse, according to police audio.
• She holds a valid concealed carry license.
• She was not charged for having the weapon.

Photos and damage

Photos submitted to the court show:

• Martinez’s dark SUV hit on the passenger side.
• Ruiz’s SUV damaged in front.
• The federal vehicle, a silver SUV, with only minor damage.
• Martinez was shot five times.

What's next:

Attorneys for both sides are set to meet Monday at 10 a.m. to determine a trial date.