Topline: Joseph Martinez’s conviction is New York City’s first case solved with familial DNA in a decades‑old killing.
Published: December 1, 2025 3:19 pm ET
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Left: Minerliz "Minnie" Soriano, Right: Joseph “Jupiter Joe” Martinez (via NYPD)
BRONX, NY — A Bronx man known as “Jupiter Joe” was found guilty of murder and sexual abuse on Nov. 14, closing a 25-year-old cold case in the killing of 13-year-old Minerliz Soriano.
Joseph Martinez, 43, was linked to the decades-old slaying of the teen who lived in his apartment building through advanced familial DNA testing.
A press release from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office stated that Martinez was convicted after a jury found he sexually abused Soriano and fatally compressed her neck.
Soriano was last seen leaving her middle school on Feb. 24, 1999. Her body was discovered four days later, found in a garbage bag inside a dumpster behind a Bronx video store about 2 miles from her home.
Martinez lived in the same apartment building as Soriano. He was known as “Jupiter Joe” for setting up a powerful telescope on public sidewalks and offering views and lessons to passersby, according to NBC News.
Minerliz Soriano was a straight-A student who “dreamed of one day becoming an astronaut,” her best friend Kimberly Ortiz told People magazine.
The girl was described as a “latchkey kid” by retired NYPD homicide detective Malcolm Reiman, who worked on the Soriano case. Reiman told People magazine she would wait in the lobby to do her homework until someone came home to open the apartment door.
She was also responsible for doing the family’s laundry and often sold candy door to door to earn small amounts of money. Reiman said that because of her routine, “every male in that building had the opportunity to meet this little girl.”
When the teen was killed in 1999, Martinez was among those interviewed by authorities. He told investigators he had seen Soriano getting mail and selling candy with her sister in the building lobby.
Martinez was not considered a suspect at the time, and the case quickly went cold. Reiman said he felt there was a predator among the tenants of the building. The investigation stalled for two decades despite the detective’s intuition.
The breakthrough came when DNA collected from Soriano’s sweater partially matched that of Martinez’s deceased father. This allowed investigators to use familial DNA testing, a technique that searches offender databases for relatives of an unknown perpetrator.
This investigation marked the first time New York City used familial DNA testing to identify a suspect and catch a killer in an unsolved case. The technique provided investigators with a direct lead to Martinez.
Detectives cracked the cold case by monitoring Martinez. They eventually collected a straw he discarded at a diner. DNA extracted from the straw was tested and found to be a definitive match to the crime scene evidence.
The match provided the concrete evidence needed to charge Martinez, leading to his recent conviction.
Retired Detective Reiman expressed relief that the case was finally closed. He told People he was thankful the “nightmare” case was over and that Soriano finally got justice.
Martinez will be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2026.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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DNA Links Bronx Street Astronomer ‘Jupiter Joe’ to Decades-Old Murder
Joseph Martinez’s conviction is New York City’s first case solved with familial DNA in a decades‑old killing.
By Kate Byrd
Published: December 1, 2025 3:19 pm ET
Left: Minerliz "Minnie" Soriano, Right: Joseph “Jupiter Joe” Martinez (via NYPD)
BRONX, NY — A Bronx man known as “Jupiter Joe” was found guilty of murder and sexual abuse on Nov. 14, closing a 25-year-old cold case in the killing of 13-year-old Minerliz Soriano.
Joseph Martinez, 43, was linked to the decades-old slaying of the teen who lived in his apartment building through advanced familial DNA testing.
A press release from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office stated that Martinez was convicted after a jury found he sexually abused Soriano and fatally compressed her neck.
Soriano was last seen leaving her middle school on Feb. 24, 1999. Her body was discovered four days later, found in a garbage bag inside a dumpster behind a Bronx video store about 2 miles from her home.
Martinez lived in the same apartment building as Soriano. He was known as “Jupiter Joe” for setting up a powerful telescope on public sidewalks and offering views and lessons to passersby, according to NBC News.
Minerliz Soriano was a straight-A student who “dreamed of one day becoming an astronaut,” her best friend Kimberly Ortiz told People magazine.
The girl was described as a “latchkey kid” by retired NYPD homicide detective Malcolm Reiman, who worked on the Soriano case. Reiman told People magazine she would wait in the lobby to do her homework until someone came home to open the apartment door.
She was also responsible for doing the family’s laundry and often sold candy door to door to earn small amounts of money. Reiman said that because of her routine, “every male in that building had the opportunity to meet this little girl.”
When the teen was killed in 1999, Martinez was among those interviewed by authorities. He told investigators he had seen Soriano getting mail and selling candy with her sister in the building lobby.
Martinez was not considered a suspect at the time, and the case quickly went cold. Reiman said he felt there was a predator among the tenants of the building. The investigation stalled for two decades despite the detective’s intuition.
The breakthrough came when DNA collected from Soriano’s sweater partially matched that of Martinez’s deceased father. This allowed investigators to use familial DNA testing, a technique that searches offender databases for relatives of an unknown perpetrator.
This investigation marked the first time New York City used familial DNA testing to identify a suspect and catch a killer in an unsolved case. The technique provided investigators with a direct lead to Martinez.
Detectives cracked the cold case by monitoring Martinez. They eventually collected a straw he discarded at a diner. DNA extracted from the straw was tested and found to be a definitive match to the crime scene evidence.
The match provided the concrete evidence needed to charge Martinez, leading to his recent conviction.
Retired Detective Reiman expressed relief that the case was finally closed. He told People he was thankful the “nightmare” case was over and that Soriano finally got justice.
Martinez will be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2026.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
DNA Links Bronx Street Astronomer ‘Jupiter Joe’ to Decades-Old Murder
Joseph Martinez’s conviction is New York City’s first case solved with familial DNA in a decades‑old killing.
By Kate Byrd
Published: December 1, 2025 3:19 pm ET
Left: Minerliz "Minnie" Soriano, Right: Joseph “Jupiter Joe” Martinez (via NYPD)
BRONX, NY — A Bronx man known as “Jupiter Joe” was found guilty of murder and sexual abuse on Nov. 14, closing a 25-year-old cold case in the killing of 13-year-old Minerliz Soriano.
Joseph Martinez, 43, was linked to the decades-old slaying of the teen who lived in his apartment building through advanced familial DNA testing.
A press release from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office stated that Martinez was convicted after a jury found he sexually abused Soriano and fatally compressed her neck.
Soriano was last seen leaving her middle school on Feb. 24, 1999. Her body was discovered four days later, found in a garbage bag inside a dumpster behind a Bronx video store about 2 miles from her home.
Martinez lived in the same apartment building as Soriano. He was known as “Jupiter Joe” for setting up a powerful telescope on public sidewalks and offering views and lessons to passersby, according to NBC News.
Minerliz Soriano was a straight-A student who “dreamed of one day becoming an astronaut,” her best friend Kimberly Ortiz told People magazine.
The girl was described as a “latchkey kid” by retired NYPD homicide detective Malcolm Reiman, who worked on the Soriano case. Reiman told People magazine she would wait in the lobby to do her homework until someone came home to open the apartment door.
She was also responsible for doing the family’s laundry and often sold candy door to door to earn small amounts of money. Reiman said that because of her routine, “every male in that building had the opportunity to meet this little girl.”
When the teen was killed in 1999, Martinez was among those interviewed by authorities. He told investigators he had seen Soriano getting mail and selling candy with her sister in the building lobby.
Martinez was not considered a suspect at the time, and the case quickly went cold. Reiman said he felt there was a predator among the tenants of the building. The investigation stalled for two decades despite the detective’s intuition.
The breakthrough came when DNA collected from Soriano’s sweater partially matched that of Martinez’s deceased father. This allowed investigators to use familial DNA testing, a technique that searches offender databases for relatives of an unknown perpetrator.
This investigation marked the first time New York City used familial DNA testing to identify a suspect and catch a killer in an unsolved case. The technique provided investigators with a direct lead to Martinez.
Detectives cracked the cold case by monitoring Martinez. They eventually collected a straw he discarded at a diner. DNA extracted from the straw was tested and found to be a definitive match to the crime scene evidence.
The match provided the concrete evidence needed to charge Martinez, leading to his recent conviction.
Retired Detective Reiman expressed relief that the case was finally closed. He told People he was thankful the “nightmare” case was over and that Soriano finally got justice.
Martinez will be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2026.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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