Family Angered By Release Of Suspect In 40-Year-Old Cold Case Murder

POMONA  (CBSLA.com)  —  Anger and disappointment fill the family of a murder victim.

Twenty-one days ago, the suspect in a 40-year-old cold case murder was arrested -- but four days later he was let go.

CBS2's Amy Johnson spoke to the victim's nephew.More than anything, he wants justice for his uncle.

"I feel I'm facing an army and I'm by myself," said Andrew Castro.

He  is fighting for justice in the murder of his uncle, Arthur Martinez, a man he only knows from photographs.

"When I got older I started asking about a picture that was the wall of a guy that didn't know. So they finally started telling me who he was.," Sastro said. "And they started telling me the story of what happened to him."

Martinez was killed on Valentine's Day 1973. He was just 19 years old.

The case had gone cold until Castro started calling Pomona police detectives 12 years ago – Castro himself just a young man of 18.

Castro found out his uncle went to work that day and left with a friend.

"There was witnesses that seen him leave with the suspect," Castro said.

Two days later, Martinez was found shot and dumped into a wash.

"Art was an out-going person, he was someone you would like," said Martinez friend Rickey Winberry.

He grew up with Martinez and remembers the last time he saw him, just days before he was killed.

"He told me that night he was in trouble and it was over a girl. But I didn't go into it with him. I just know a few days later, he was dead," said Winberry.

The family knows the suspect and after opening the case five times police finally made an arrest on July 7.

They released the suspect four days later.

"Angry, sad and mostly just very disappointed in the LA County District Attorney's Office," says Castro.

The District Attorney's Office said there was insufficient evidence.

"The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office had a perfect case presented to them," Castro said, "And they chose to not file charges right now. And they dropped the ball."

Castro says he won't drop this.

"Im not going anywhere,  I will fight this to the end," he said. "I want to see justice,"

A $50,000 reward is offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction of Martinez' killer.