NCIS asking for help to solve 1980 double killing

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service announced Monday that is asking the public for help as it tries to solve the 44-year-old killing of two Hawaii-based Marines.

Lance Cpl. Lawrence “Larry” Martens and Lance Cpl. Rodney “Rocky” Padilla were last seen alive leaving the Marine Corps base in Kane­ohe for a night out on Sept. 7, 1980. Their bodies were found the next day, shot and beaten, at an unpaved parking lot at Maunalua Bay Beach Park.

“We believe someone out there has information that can help us provide answers for the families of Lance Corporals Martens and Padilla,” said NCIS Special Agent in Charge Kay Een of the NCIS Hawaii Field Office in a media release. “They were young men who served our country, and their murders deserve justice.”

According to the media release, NCIS is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the deaths of Martens and Padilla.

NCIS announced the reward a week after military officials acknowledged that a Marine is in custody after his wife’s death on Sept. 1. Neither NCIS nor the Marine Corps has released the name of the deceased woman, the name of the Marine in custody, a specific cause of death or any charges related to the case.

When asked Monday for an update on that case, NCIS did not respond. But Marine Corps officials have confirmed to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the Marine is a member of the Kaneohe-based Marine Aircraft Group 24 and that NCIS and the Honolulu Police Department are actively investigating. No other details have been made available.

Tips can be reported to NCIS using the NCIS Tips app, via the NCIS website at ncis.navy.mil Opens in a new tab or by calling the Crime­Stoppers tip line at 808-955-8300. Tips can be reported anonymously.