RIVERSIDE, CA – The family of Bradley Menendez, a 32-year-old man found buried in a makeshift grave in Riverside, is speaking out about their loss. Menendez’s body was discovered last week behind a home on the 8700 block of Sylvan Drive, and his roommate has been arrested in connection with the murder.
According to family members, Menendez had been renting a room from a friend’s family in the quiet Riverside neighborhood. They described him as having a “heart of gold,” always prioritizing others before himself. “He was a kind and loving person,” his mother said, recalling how he never missed calling her at midnight for her birthday, even adjusting for the time difference.
Photos shared by his family show a joyful Menendez, whose absence was first noted last Tuesday when Riverside police conducted a welfare check at the residence. Menendez had not been seen or heard from in several days, prompting concern from his loved ones. During the investigation, officers learned that 48-year-old Richard Thomas Martinez, a member of the household, had allegedly confessed to killing Menendez.
Upon searching the property, police detained Martinez and discovered an area in the backyard where the ground appeared to have been recently disturbed. Cadaver dogs were brought in, confirming that a body was buried there. Detectives began digging and soon unearthed Menendez’s remains, which were later fully excavated by the coroner’s office.
Martinez now faces murder charges, with an additional enhancement for allegedly using a weapon. The criminal complaint lists a knife, a hammer, and a shovel as the weapons involved. In a troubling twist, police revealed that Martinez had been arrested just days before Menendez’s body was found. He was charged with indecent exposure and drug possession after being found naked near an elementary school.
As the community grapples with the shock of the murder, Menendez’s family is left to mourn the loss of a man they describe as selfless and considerate. Martinez is expected to appear in court soon to face the murder charge.