On Tuesday, The Conversation shared a story about the Naval Criminal Investigative Service's search for clues in an unsolved murder mystery on Oʻahu.
Lance Cpls. Lawrence "Larry" Martens, 19, and Rodney "Rocky" Padilla, 21, were found beaten and shot in the unpaved parking lot at Maunalua Bay in Hawaiʻi Kai on Sept. 7, 1980.
Retired Denver Police Capt. Joe Padilla has been advocating for his little brother's case to be solved. He started a Facebook page, Justice for Rocky Padilla.
NCIS took over the case from the Honolulu Police Department in 2021 and began searching for more evidence.
"I feel that knowing the personnel that are assigned to this case, they have a heartfelt interest in solving it. A lot of promises were made to me by HPD, but I don't know if it ever became a priority for that department," Joe Padilla said.
Joe Padilla recalled the heartbreak his family has endured over the decades.
"My mother's still alive. She's 88 years old and we speak about this case weekly... She's got a huge 14 by 16 portrait of Rocky in his uniform in her front room, and she prays to it, she talks to him, and we just need it resolved."
He said it's been doubly hard to watch this case go unsolved, given his law enforcement background.
NCIS Special Agent Leslie Smith said they are fairly confident that someone from the community could help solve the case.
"I can understand if the suspects are dead, but I would like to have some resolution on my brother's case," Joe Padilla added.
Anonymous tips can be submitted online to NCIS.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 27, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
