Phoenix cop-killer had been deported in 2006

Erik Jovani Martinez, 22, was in the country illegally 2006 when he was arrested and convicted on sex charges. Martinez was deported on March 3, 2006, and at some point re-entered the country illegally.

On Tuesday, Martinez was stopped by Phoenix police Officer Nick Erfle for jaywalking on a busy central Phoenix street. Martinez gave the officer an alias, but the alias turned up a different arrest warrant for shoplifting in Tucson.

Officer Erfle and his partner tried to arrest Martinez. During a struggle, Martinez pulled a gun and fatally shot Erfle. Martinez ran from the scene, carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint. Police stopped the car and fatally shot Martinez when he pointed his gun at the hostage’s head. The hostage was unharmed.

Officer Erfle, a 33-year-old married father of two and an eight-year veteran of the force, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Erfle’s killing is the second shooting death of an officer with the Phoenix Police Department this year. George Cortez Jr., 23, was shot to death in July as he attempted to arrest a check forgery suspect at a west Phoenix check-cashing business.