Murder of Officer Martin Ganz by Roger Brady during routine traffic stop investigated on Evil Lives Here

Evil Lives Here is investigating the senseless murder of Officer Martin Ganz in Manhattan Beach, California, by Roger Hoan Brady.

On December 27, 1993, Officer Ganz pulled over a vehicle outside a mall in what was described as a so-called routine traffic spot. When the 29-year-old veteran approached the car, the motorist began firing shots with a semiautomatic weapon.

When Ganz attempted to find cover behind his patrol car, the gunman (Brady) left his vehicle and chased Ganz while still firing. Ganz’s 13-year-old nephew, Don Ganz, was on a ride-along with his uncle, and Brady pointed his weapon at the boy; thankfully, the gun jammed, meaning he fled the scene without harming the youngster.

Ganz had been struck with three bullets; he had been wearing a bulletproof vest, but two of the bullets had hit him above the vest.

Several bystanders came to his aid, and Don Ganz called for help on the police radio. He was transported to a hospital but sadly died of his wounds a short time later. Ganz’s service revolver was found lying on the ground beside him; unfortunately, he had been unable to return fire.

Don Ganz, along with another witness, Jennifer La Fond, who had been driving past at the time, gave the investigators a description of the killer and his vehicle.

And less than a month later, an anonymous tipster told the police that the killer had been Roger Brady. Unfortunately, neither Don Ganz nor La Fond could pick Brady out of a selection of photographs.

Roger Brady killed again in Oregon

The case had stalled until August 1994, when officers from Oregon began investigating Brady for a murder committed in their state. He was suspected of shooting a 55-year-old nurse during a botched robbery in Beavertown, Ore.

By this stage, Brady was living with his parents in Washington state, and when officers went to the home, they noticed the killer’s car matched the description from the Ganz case.

A further search of Brady’s property revealed a firearm that matched the one used to kill Officer Ganz. Finally, La Fond was able to pick him out of a line-up, which led to him being charged with Ganz’s murder.

Brady was first convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder in Oregon before he was sentenced to death in California for killing Officer Martin Ganz.

Roger Brady remains on death row at San Quentin today; in 2019, Governor Newson ordered a moratorium on California’s death penalty while he remains in office. He has called the death penalty and “abject failure.”

More from Evil Lives Here

Follow the links to read about more crimes profiled on Evil Lives Here.

Howard Hawk Willis murdered teenage married couple Adam and Samantha Chrismer and hacked their bodies into pieces in Johnson City, Tennessee. He confessed his crime to his ex-wife, who was wearing a wire. He couldn’t explain why he did what he did.

Paul Keller is believed to have started up to 107 fires in the Seattle area within a six month period. Tragically, one of those fires was started at a funeral home where three elderly residents were killed.

Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death airs at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.