Martin Urbina cold case: Cook County sheriff seeks public's help in solving 2020 fatal stabbing

COOK COUNTY - This summer marks four years since Martin Urbina was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight just steps from a playground in a Cook County forest preserve. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in solving the case.

In a FOX 32 Special Report, Tia Ewing has the latest updates on the search for Urbina’s killer.

Cook County Sheriff’s Police say security camera footage shows the suspected killer leaving Fullerton Woods Forest Preserve in River Grove during the afternoon of August 8, 2020.

"It’s somewhat eerie when you see it because you can see the outlines of a person walking away from there in the video and getting in a car and the car leaving," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. "We have a decent amount of footage. We just don’t have enough that we’ve been able to pull up so far to get a clearer picture of anyone."

Investigators are asking the public to review the security footage to see if they recognize the man or the car. They are seeking new information that can help them identify who killed the 52-year-old Urbina.

"Martin Urbina lived in Rogers Park with his mom. In August of 2020, he was at home with his mom making breakfast and then a vehicle pulled up. It was someone he knew. Someone he previously engaged with," Dart said. "He left his mom, told her he had to go, and got in the car."

Security camera footage from nearby homes shows Urbina and the suspect arriving at a River Grove playground, just outside the Fullerton Woods Forest Preserve, around 1 p.m. They then entered the woods together.

"After about an hour, someone heard a scream. They went over to where they heard the scream and they found Martin there; he had been stabbed to death," Dart said. "When you look at the video footage, you can see, really just a short distance from where Martin was found, there’s a playground. There were kids there. There were families playing."

Investigators say Urbina was attacked about 100 yards from the playground. While his screams were heard, witnesses didn’t see anything because of the thick foliage between the playground and where Urbina was stabbed.

The suspect is believed to have left the forest preserve in a 2000 to 2005 Mercury.

"We were able to trace that vehicle leaving that scene going all the way to some point where we lost it somewhere in Elmwood Park," Dart said. "We weren’t able to get anything beyond that now."

Detectives tracked the car as far as the intersection of 77th Court and Armitage Avenue in Elmwood Park, about two miles from the crime scene.

"We’re looking for the public’s help in regards to this because we have the vehicle. We have some video footage that people can look at. We are looking for leads right now and we have been for a while. We’ve worked this case pretty hard," Dart said.

According to a 911 call, the suspect was described as covered in blood, wearing black shorts and a black T-shirt, and having a shaved head.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.