Kelvin Martinez was charged with first-degree manslaughter in the murder of Notti Osama, age 14, who died of stab wounds on July 9.
Popularly known by his stage name, 14-year-old Notti Osama’s real name was Ethan Reyes. Reyes was stabbed in the abdomen out of self-defense when he and his companions started a brawl with Kelvin Martinez, a rival gang member.
After the incident, police brought Kelvin Martinez to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he received treatment for a back injury and two puncture wounds to his left hip.
He was then taken into custody and charged with first-degree homicide and unlawful possession.
Notti Osama’s Killer Kelvin Martinez Charges And Sentence
Prosecutors later reduced the second-degree murder charge against Notti Osama’s 15-year-old killer Kelvin Martinez to first-degree manslaughter. The court has not yet announced his sentence.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office claims that after learning that Ethan Reyes had approached Martinez and threatened him with a broomstick while Kelvin was en route to catch an uptown train, the Prosecutors altered his charges.
The specifics leading up to the incident are still being investigated, Assistant District Attorney Daniel Makofsky said at Kelvin Martinez’s arraignment on July 10.
Martinez will be permitted to reside outside of New York City at a place known to prosecutors but not made public while the investigation is ongoing.
Did Kelvin Martinez And Ethan Reyes Know Each Other?
Ethan Reyes and Martinez knew each other as associates of rival gangs. Several instances of gang violence had already occurred in the weeks prior to Reyes’s passing.
At 137th Street and Broadway intersection on July 9, Reyes and two buddies came upon Martinez while out for a stroll. Martinez reportedly followed Reyes into the railway station after he picked up a broomstick.
His friends and Reyes cornered him at the north end of the platform, after which he hit Martinez with the stick. Martinez swung his knife at Reyes while acting defensively and stabbed him in the abdomen.
A wounded Reyes pushed Martinez onto the train tracks, landing on his back. Martinez fled the station while Reyes lurched down the platform and collapsed on the staircase.
Notti Osama’s Cause Of Death Revealed As Stab Wounds From A Knife
Notti Osama’s death came swiftly after Kelvin Martinez punctured his liver while stabbing him with a knife. Although he was rushed to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital by EMS, the 14-year-old rapper did not survive the stab wounds.
The tragic episode occurred around 3 p.m. on July 9 on the uptown platform of the 137th Street-City College “1” train station in Hamilton Heights.
Insight On Notti Osama’s Brother DD Osama
DD Osama is an up-and-coming drill rapper and the older brother of 14-year-old rapper Notti Osama who died a tragic death at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital.
In a social media tribute, he confirmed Notti’s passing, writing, “Like why did you leave me?”
DD Osama collaborated with multiple rappers and musical artists to release the music video “E4N” on July 20. The video has shots from Notti’s memorial service.
JStar Balla, Edot Baby, Sugarhill Ddot, Dudeylo, and Roscoe G appear in the video released as a tribute to their brother Notti Osama.
Notti Osama’s Funeral
Nine days after his death, Notti Osama’s funeral was held on July 18, 2022. To help cover the cost of his funeral services, a GoFundMe page was created by his musician friends.
The page had raised more than $5,700 of its $10,000 goal as of a July 11 update.
After his death, many paid tribute to him online, and a makeshift memorial service was held at West 140th Street and Broadway in New York. He lived on that block until moving with his family to Young Avenue in Yonkers a few months ago.
“Notti” was spelled out in candles, with a keyboard on the ground. A poster was hung up on which friends and others wrote moving messages.