Slain Maryland parole agent to be honored at this year's Fallen Heroes Day ceremony

Even though it's been almost a year since Maryland parole agent Davis Martinez was killed, his brother continues to feel him around.

Right before Michael Martinez, Davis Martinez's brother, interviewed with WJZ, a phone in the room rang.

"That's just Davis," Michael Martinez said with a smile. "He's just messing with us."

Davis Martinez will be one of the public safety personnel honored at the 40th annual Fallen Heroes Day observance at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens on Friday, May 2.

Michael Martinez described what it's been like living without his brother and his best friend.

On May 31, 2024, Davis Martinez died while making a home visit to Emanuel Edward Sewell, a convicted sex offender in Montgomery County. Sewell has since been charged and is awaiting trial for his death.

Davis Martinez's death marked the first time a parole agent died in the line of duty in Maryland.

Everyone's cheerleader

Michael Martinez said Davis Martinez was often the trendsetter for him and their younger brother, Joseph Martinez.

Davis Martinez was the first in the family to graduate from high school and college.

"He had to be the person who set everything. He wants us not to mess around or fumble it," Michael Martinez said.

Michael Martinez also credits his older brother for giving him the travel bug. The two traveled to four European countries in 2023, and their favorite ended up being Turkey.

"He really pushed me to do things that I wouldn't consider," Michael Martinez said.

Michael Martinez said his older brother is the reason he's made it this far in life. But Davis Martinez was also everyone's cheerleader.

"There would be moments where I just sort of accepted the path I was gonna go, but Davis did not. He saw there was something within me," Michael Martinez said.

Honoring his legacy

Michael Martinez said it hasn't felt as though a year had passed since Davis Martinez's death.

"It really does feel like it happened six months ago, or even less. It's just, since his passing, everything has gone 100 mph," Michael Martinez said.

Ever since losing his older brother, though, Michael Martinez said his family has been receiving an outpouring of support from around the country.

Support has especially come in the form of rubber ducks. Jeep ducking, as it's called, is a popular tradition among Jeep owners.

Once it was known Davis Martinez owned one, many have been sending rubber ducks in his honor. Michael Martinez, who now owns his brother's jeep, said they'd come in by the boxload.

Michael Martinez said his older brother sometimes didn't feel like his job was appreciated enough. But, with all of this support -- and the fact he's been named a fallen hero -- he thinks it speaks for itself.

"Everybody does appreciate the type of job he does," Michael Martinez said.

Michael Martinez said he's still traveling in his brother's honor, having returned to Europe earlier this year.

He adds that he and his family are also leading healthy lives, as Davis Martinez would've wanted.

"I've taken my mom to the gym with me, I continue to take my little brother to the gym with me. Davis, he was pretty much the first one to ring the alarm for us to do that," Michael Martinez said.

When asked if, in a sense, his older brother is still taking care of him in a way, Michael Martinez said yes.

"His advice just continues to ring true for us to this day," he said.