Alpo Martinez killed over road rage, not betrayal, reports claim

NEW YORK - Former Harlem drug kingpin Alpo Martinez was killed in a dispute over his driving, according to published reports.

The NYPD arrested 27-year-old Shakeem Parker for killing Martinez.  He faces murder and weapons charges in connection with the killing in the early morning hours of Halloween.

The NYPD was called to Frederick Douglass Boulevard near W. 147th St. just before 3:30 a.m. on October 31, 2021.

A dark, red pickup truck had crashed into parked cars.  Alpo Martinez, the driver, had been shot 5 times in the chest through the vehicle window. He continued to drive the truck approximately four blocks before crashing.

EMS took him to NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem but it was too late to save his life.

Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app!  |  Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters

Martinez became famous in the 1980s for his murderous ways and mountains of drugs and cash.  He was immortalized in dozens of rap songs and the movie Paid in Full.

Martinez was in the witness protection program, so his ID had the name Abraham Rodriguez printed on it along with a Lewiston, Maine address. 

Alpo Martinez

He had been given a new identity after he was released from a Colorado prison in 2015.  He had been serving more than 20 years for his role in 14 murders.

He had also widely believed to have flipped on his former associates to cut years off of what could have been a life sentence.

Instead of lying low, he was often seen in Harlem and his driving may have led to his downfall.

The NY Times reports that Martinez was killed over his penchant for driving dangerously down Harlem streets on his motorcycle.

A law enforcement official told the paper that Martinez had clashed with Parker over the summer when Martinez, riding his motorcycle, brushed past Parker in a way that showed disrespect.