A man has been arrested for criminal homicide in Tennessee after police say he fled the scene following a deadly hit-and-run that killed a respected Nashville restaurant owner. The suspect, Ulises Raigoza Martinez, is believed to be an illegal immigrant.
On Thursday, police arrested 29-year-old Martinez. He was charged with criminal homicide for the killing of Matt Carney, a local business owner who operated Smokin’ Thighs—a popular bar and chicken restaurant in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood.
After Martinez’s arrest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed a detainer on Martinez and told The Daily Wire that they would be interviewing him shortly to determine whether he is in the country legally.
According to police reports, on June 19 Carney attempted to prevent Martinez and Adrian Diaz from taking tools out of his car in the parking lot outside our restaurant. Carney was struck by a Nissan Frontier truck and the suspects fled, leaving him laying in critical condition on the street.
Carney died of his wounds on July 4. A GoFundMe page was set up to provide a $10,000 reward for information among Carney’s family and friends as both her husband (the victim) supported his wife Molly. The fund has raised upwards of $57,000 to date.
Last week, Carney’s funeral took place at Brentwood Baptist Church where he was remembered as a legend of the community.
In a statement released Wednesday, ICE confirmed that Diaz – who police say was with Martinez at the time of the crash – is a Mexican national living in the United States illegally.
Martinez is charged with criminal homicide, tampering evidence, vehicle theft, and evading arrest. He is being held at Davidson County jail and due in court before a Nashville judge on Monday.
According to his obituary, “Matt will be remembered for his joyful spirit, his loud laugh and his smile that lit up the room,” his obituary reads. “His friends knew him as the life of the party, with his positive attitude, jokes and loyalty to those he loved. He loved big.”
