The Gwinnett County Police Department has announced that Martin Montiel-Moreno faces charges of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault in connection with the death of 21-year-old Jorge De La Cruz.
According to a news release from the Gwinnett County Police Department, officers from the West Precinct responded to a call on July 4 at a residence on Comanche Court in unincorporated Lilburn. There, they found De La Cruz with a severe head injury and transported him to Northside Hospital in critical condition. Detectives and the Crime Scene Unit were deployed as part of the investigation.
As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, police say De La Cruz was struck multiple times with a sledgehammer, resulting in fatal head injuries. A roommate called 911 after discovering him at home, while another roommate—identified as Montiel-Moreno—approached a deputy stating that investigators were “looking for him” and was subsequently detained. After De La Cruz died on July 6, Montiel-Moreno’s initial charges were upgraded to felony murder and malice murder.
AccessWDUN reports that Montiel-Moreno, aged 40 from Lilburn, voluntarily approached a Forsyth County deputy last Friday before detectives had detained him. He said that police were looking for him, leading to his arrest and transport to Gwinnett County Police Headquarters for questioning. The site also confirms that De La Cruz succumbed to his injuries on July 6, prompting detectives to obtain additional arrest warrants for felony murder and malice murder.
The Gwinnett County Police Department serves as the primary law enforcement entity for Gwinnett County, Georgia—including both unincorporated areas and several cities such as Lilburn. As of 2024, the department comprises approximately 1,258 employees, including 936 sworn officers and 322 civilian staff under Chief James D. McClure’s leadership. The GCPD is structured into bureaus such as Criminal Investigations, Uniform Divisions, and Administrative Services.
