Introducing: The First 48 | From Crime House and A&E

Summary

Podcast Summary

Health Hacks with Mark Hyman, M.D. | Special Feature: The First 48 – “The Dark Trail”

Release Date: July 16, 2026
Host: OpenMind (special feed drop from Crime House & A&E’s The First 48)
Episode Theme:
In this compelling true crime feed drop, listeners are taken inside the tense, emotional, and gritty first 48 hours of a real homicide investigation. The episode, “The Dark Trail,” follows Tulsa homicide detectives as they race against the clock to solve the murder of an unhoused man, Mark “Smalls” Lake, delving into the challenges of investigating crimes within homeless communities, the heartbreak and resilience of survivors, and the teamwork needed to bring justice.

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode departs from the usual wellness content to deliver a powerful story from A&E’s “The First 48” series. Listeners experience the raw, real-time progression of a murder investigation—emphasizing the importance of early leads, the trust between detectives and witnesses, and the realities faced by society’s most vulnerable. The narrative is both a procedural thriller and a human portrait of grief, justice, and hope.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crime and Its Victims

• Setting: An overgrown field behind a Tulsa gas station, a refuge for unhoused people.
• Victims:
  • Mark “Smalls” Lake – described by his wife as “an amazing man … my best friend, my heart, my whole world,” (Georgette Lake, 01:18-01:41).
  • Georgette Lake – Mark’s wife, who survived the attack and provides crucial information.

Notable Quote:

“Feels like this place just devours everything that touches it. Out here is where I lost my best friend, my heart. I lost my whole world.”
— Georgette Lake [01:41]

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2. The First 48: Race Against the Clock

• Stat: Chance of solving a murder drops by half if a lead isn’t obtained within 48 hours.
• Incident: Mark Lake is shot dead at 9:15 pm, August 29, 2020.

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3. Investigative Process: Gathering Evidence & Witness Accounts

Initial Evidence

• Physical evidence: Two bicycles, a couple knives, and a backpack—not immediately conclusive evidence.
• Key Witnesses:
  • Rowdy Peterson: Witness who describes the suspects and offers context on camp dynamics and motive.
  • Georgette Lake: Victim’s wife, initially hesitant but eventually offers deeper details.

Rowdy’s Account:

• Mark and Georgette left Rowdy in charge of their things.
• Two men with guns approached, asking when Mark would return.
• Rowdy suspects the motive is robbery linked to small-scale drug trade (“Smalls sells dope out there … I think they came to rob our guy.”) [07:36]
• Rowdy flees after hearing gunshots; provides suspect descriptions (one Hispanic, one dark-skinned, both armed).
• Ties the couple’s homelessness and struggle for reunification with their kids to their survival tactics (“They try and sell drugs to get a house so they don’t lose their kids … they're doing what they gotta do.”) [10:12]

Georgette’s Account:

• Initially evasive (“I don't know who they were … just people walking down the street.”) [12:37]
• Detective White gently confronts her, referencing Rowdy’s belief that she knows more.
• Georgette reveals the name “A.J.”, the Grim Reaper tattoo, and Latimer Place address ([14:20]).

Notable Quote:

“Usually, if someone pulls a gun in my face, I try to remember what the f--- they were looking like.”
— Georgette Lake [18:24]

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4. Identifying Suspects: A.J. and “Loco”

• Suspect 1: Andres “AJ” Martinez – Hispanic male, Grim Reaper tattoo, known in camp circles.
• Suspect 2: Jason Enrique Arce aka “Loco” – Dark-skinned, extensive facial tattoos, documented gang member (Sur13/Serenios), from Compton, CA.

Detective Insights:

“For him to be certified as a gang member in the city of Tulsa, that says something right there in and of itself. He’s got a motherload of tattoos on his face. It’s impressive. It’s kind of scary. We don’t run across hardcore people like him.”
— Detective Jason White [20:30]

• Identification Process:
  • Georgette and Rowdy both make positive IDs from photos.
  • Surveillance footage from the gas station contradicts initial alibis and puts both suspects (and Arce’s girlfriend) at the scene together before the shooting [30:56-31:44].
  • Phone data further link the suspects.

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5. Interrogations and Confrontations

• Interrogations show both suspects deflecting, offering partial truths, or denying involvement (“I don’t know A.J.” — Arce [32:46]; “I had nothing to do with this situation.”— AJ [37:02]).
• Both submit to and later test positive for gunshot residue.
• Arce’s girlfriend initially tries to protect him but inadvertently narrows the window and confirms timeline inconsistencies [27:31-29:28].

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6. The Solution and Outcomes

• Timeline: Within roughly 14 hours, both suspects are in custody.

• Breakthroughs:

  • Officer Myers’s alert patrol work.
  • Georgette’s eventual honesty, despite immense trauma.
  • Rowdy’s willingness to aid the investigation.
  • Surveillance and digital evidence.

• Final Outcomes:

  • AJ Martinez pleads guilty to first-degree manslaughter; sentenced to 40 years.
  • Jason Arce convicted of first-degree murder; sentenced to life.
  • Detective White praises Georgette’s courage and recognizes the unique challenges of investigating crimes among the unhoused community.

Notable Quote (Reflection):

“Just because you’re dealing with the homeless population, for starters, sometimes they’re afraid to talk. For her to have the courage to step up … I’m extremely proud of her, and I think she did the right thing for her husband.”
— Detective Jason White [41:55]

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7. Aftermath & Georgette’s Resilience

• Georgette reflects on the months following Mark’s murder—moving in with her mother after her son’s encouragement, regaining custody of her children, and striving for normalcy and self-respect.
• She continues to honor Mark’s memory by working on herself:

“I see his face all the time. … All he ever wanted was best for me. So I’m trying little steps at a time.”
— Georgette Lake [44:02]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Fe[els] like this place just devours everything that touches it.”—Georgette Lake [01:41]
• “I heard him. He’s like, ‘What the f--- you doing out here?’ shot him twice. I took off running.”—Rowdy Peterson [08:40]
• “Was [AJ] getting dope in exchange for bringing you guys stuff?”
  “Yeah, but he would never show up with the stuff. He would just show up himself.” — Detective White & Georgette Lake [17:00]
• “If you didn’t do it, then who does that leave?”
  “The person is—” — Detective White & AJ Martinez [40:00]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------- |---------------| | Georgette’s introduction & heartbreak| 01:18-02:04 | | Start of investigation | 04:05-06:14 | | Rowdy’s witness account | 06:31-10:38 | | Georgette's initial interview | 11:04-13:54 | | Suspect information uncovered | 14:09-15:56 | | Photo IDs and timeline builds | 16:29-18:57 | | Arce’s interrogation | 22:35-26:35 | | Arce’s girlfriend provides info | 27:31-29:28 | | Breakthrough: Surveillance footage | 30:56-31:44 | | Confronting suspects with evidence | 32:36-33:54 | | AJ Martinez in custody; confession attempts | 35:23-41:16 | | Case resolution and sentences | 41:16-41:55 | | Georgette’s reflection and resilience| 42:38-44:07 |

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Tone & Language

The episode maintains a blend of gritty realism and compassionate introspection, oscillating between the procedural, the personal, and the tragic. Detective White’s empathy and fairness, Georgette’s vulnerability and strength, and the investigators’ determination are clear throughout.

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Conclusion

Though a significant departure from the usual health and wellness focus of Health Hacks, this episode brings forward the urgency, complexity, and humanity of homicide investigations. Through candid witness accounts, careful detective work, and a lens on life at society’s margins, it’s a stark reminder of the struggle for justice and dignity, even in the harshest circumstances.

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If you’re interested in more high-stakes investigations from The First 48, follow their show directly on your favorite podcast platform.

Transcript

[Carter Roy]

I'm Carter Roy and I am excited to tell you that Crime House and A and E are teaming up for the official podcast version of the famous true crime series the First 48. Each week, I'll take you inside the critical First 48 hours of a homicide case. The interrogations, the dead ends, and the breakthroughs that crack a case wide open. Real detectives, real cases, real stakes. I've got an episode of the show for you to listen to now. If you like what you hear and want more, make sure to follow the First 48 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. There's also a link to the show in this episode's description. This his crime house. There's a large grassy field behind a gas station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Around its overgrown edges, unhoused people find shelter from the elements. Georgette Lake is one of those people, and so is her husband, Mark, AKA Smalls. She reflects on what brought them to this place.

[Georgette Lake]

We're right to the entrance of the field. Over the years we've been together, me and Smalls always end up back over in this area. He was an amazing man. Think you can ever find a man that would make you just come out here to this and be like, okay, babe, I love you. I'm happy and comfortable. This is my home.

[Carter Roy]

But while the field gives them a place to stay, it's also full of danger.

[Georgette Lake]

Feels like this place just devours everything that touches it. And he knew it was coming. He'd tell me a week before that something, something was about to change. Something's about to happen. Out here is where I lost my best friend, my heart. I lost my whole world.

[Carter Roy]

For homicide detectives, their chance of solving a murder is cut in half if they don't get a lead within the First 48 Hours. Welcome to the First 48 presented by AE Global Media, ITV America and Crime House Studios. Adapted from the hit TV show, every episode features a high stakes homicide investigation in the critical hours that define it. Today's episode brings us to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when an unhoused man is shot dead near his shelter. Homicide detectives have to work fast to solve the case before his killers disappear. With little evidence and only a couple of witnesses, it's a race against the clock, counting up to 48 hours. A note this program documents actual homicide investigations. Criminal charges are often dropped or reduced and all suspects covered on this podcast are presumed innocent unless proven gallery. In some episodes, certain details have been changed to protect the identities of witnesses or the integrity of the investigation. Listener discretion is advised. This case is called the dark trail. At 9:15pm on August 29, 2020, a 911 dispatcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, receives a call.

[911 Dispatcher]

911.

[Georgette Lake]

Jeannie, please.

[911 Dispatcher]

Fire. Medical Police. Directly behind me, I heard the scream and my dog was barking like crazy. They just fired a gunshot. Did you see it happen or just hear it? I heard it, but I seen the flash from the gunshot. Some woman is screaming, and I went out there to see what was going on. We'll get off this out there.

[Carter Roy]

Officers rushed to the crime scene, a field behind a gas station. When they arrive, the count to 48 hours begins. After the area is cordoned off and the evidence is documented, homicide detective Jason White inspects the scene.

[Detective Jason White]

Hey.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White ducks under the police tape and heads down a darkened path, using his flashlight to illuminate the surroundings. After a short walk, he spots the victim lying face up on the ground. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim's name is Mark Clifford Lake, also known as Smalls. Described as a good hearted guy, Mark and his wife Georgette called this encampment home While they searched for a permanent place to live. Aside from getting off the streets, Mark wanted to create a stable environment for himself, Georgette, and his three stepchildren. But before he got the chance, someone took Mark's life. And now it's up to Detective White and his team to solve his murder. Around the crime scene, they find some evidence. Two bicycles, a couple knives, and a backpack. But none of it is conclusive. However, two people witnessed the crime. Mark's wife Georgette and one of the camp's other residents, Rowdy Peterson. Detective White asks them to go down to the station so he can talk to them. But before he leaves, he has another idea.

[Detective Jason White]

We may have video of these guys. At the quick trip, we might get video of the actual suspects potentially coming down the trail. They got officers working on that right now. All right, well, I definitely want that footage. I'm gonna start going downtown and start interviewing these people.

[Carter Roy]

It's been one hour and 14 minutes. Detective White arrives at the station and begins his questioning. He wants to talk to Rowdy Peterson first. Detective White figures he'll be a little less emotional and can break down what happened.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, buddy, I'm the detective that's handling this case, all right? Where are you living? In the trees, where you kind of stand up there. We're in that field. All right, just tell me what happened.

[Rowdy Peterson]

Earlier, they asked me if I could save you for 20 minutes and wash your dog because the camp had been getting filled for people to steal his dog.

[Carter Roy]

According to Rowdy, Mark and Georgette had asked him to keep an eye on their things while they went on an errand. And everything was quiet until it wasn't.

[Rowdy Peterson]

I heard some wrestling in by the seat. I thought it was the dogs and can't come out of nowhere with guns.

[Carter Roy]

He says two men approached Mark's tent.

[Rowdy Peterson]

They both had guns. He had to clasp up my face. Kept asking me questions about is he going to come back soon, who's he got with him, where'd he go? I just know he went to a friend's house in the neighborhood. And now he'd be back 20 minutes.

[Detective Jason White]

Who knew what they asking for Smalls,

[Carter Roy]

if you recall, Smalls was Mark Lake's nickname.

[Rowdy Peterson]

Smalls sells dope out there in the woods, and they knew it. And then I think they came to robber guy.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you see them shoot tonight?

[Rowdy Peterson]

I did not see them shoot. I heard the main shots. I took off running.

[Detective Jason White]

Those guys over there right before this happened?

[Rowdy Peterson]

Yeah, I see them. They have families off in that neighborhood not too far away.

[Carter Roy]

Rowdy says he's seen the two men in the area before and that right before Mark and Georgette came back, he overheard one of the suspects on the phone with a woman. The conversation was heated.

[Rowdy Peterson]

They were very upset that his wife was going to come back with him. For sure they were going to kill him. They were probably not killing him, and they wouldn't have to kill the wife.

[Carter Roy]

In the end, it seems like they decided to only go after Mark and leave Georgette alone. Sergeant Nathan Schilling asks Rowdy more about the murder itself.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Between the times that pointed the guns and shooting and frogs got shot, did you see or hear from the Small?

[Rowdy Peterson]

I heard him. He's like, what the you doing out here? Shot him twice. I jumped up. I took off running, man. I was scared. I thought they were gonna kill me. I heard just pop, pop, pop. I heard about five feet. I came close to them. Shots of weapons.

[Detective Jason White]

Can you describe them for me? One at a time.

[Rowdy Peterson]

He's Hispanic. He was wearing the tank top and blu rag on his face. Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

Did he have any tattoos?

[Rowdy Peterson]

I don't know.

[Detective Jason White]

What about the other guy?

[Rowdy Peterson]

Another guy's dark skin. Dark. Dark brown. Dark clothing, blue jeans, I believe.

[Detective Jason White]

Would you be able to identify either one of these guys?

[Rowdy Peterson]

Yes.

[Detective Jason White]

They live up in that neighborhood?

[Rowdy Peterson]

Yeah, they live in that neighborhood. I don't know where.

[Carter Roy]

Even though Rowdy doesn't know where the possible suspects live, he thinks he knows Someone who does. Mark's wife, Georgette.

[Rowdy Peterson]

The wife, though, is. She's saying she doesn't. She's gonna lie. She's getting shit. She's gonna want to do something to these guys. She knows who both of them are. She knows where they live. She knows their families.

[Georgette Lake]

Good.

[Rowdy Peterson]

Yeah. So at least you do the right thing.

[Detective Jason White]

I appreciate you being forthcoming with us. That's a lot of really good information for me to work with.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Okay.

[Carter Roy]

Before they finish the interview, Rowdy has one more thing to tell Detective White. Something that adds an additional heartbreaking element to this case.

[Rowdy Peterson]

Smiles in new life. Third day. You're trying to get money to get a house. They have two weeks to get a house where they lose their kids. Got kids and DHS because they're waivering. It's sad. They lost the kids because of drug sales, and they try and sell drugs to get a house so they don't lose their kids, which is, you know, they're doing what they gotta do.

[Detective Jason White]

Just two hours in, we've got a pretty decent description.

[Carter Roy]

The team puts out a BOLO on the suspects, while White turns to the victim's wife.

[Detective Jason White]

Georgette, you know my heart goes out to you. I know this is life changing for you and your kids. How old are your kids?

[Carter Roy]

She says the oldest is 15, then 10 and 11.

[Detective Jason White]

So you guys have been together a long time.

[Georgette Lake]

He's not the birth father of the King, but we've been together eight. Eight and a half years ago.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay. I gotta be able to get these people off the streets, and that's starting with that. Okay. And then we can get you in touch with somebody to try to get you in line, to get you in a better position in your life. Does that sound like a pretty good idea?

[Carter Roy]

Georgette agrees to tell Detective White what she knows.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, tell me what happened.

[Georgette Lake]

My husband talked about our clothes being over at a friend's house.

[Carter Roy]

She says she and Mark, who she calls Baby, rode their bikes over to a friend's house to get their laundry. When they returned to their encampment, they heard their dog barking.

[Georgette Lake]

He was like, someone's there. I was like, baby, there's nobody there. So he zoomed in front of me. And then I look up, and two guys converted out from the TED area and Baby screaming. And he, like, tackles Baby off the bike, and he fell on the ground and started saying, I'm sorry, bro. No, no, no, please. Any point. I guess I was supposed to let him. My grandpa looked at me and he pointed right at me, but nothing Happened. Then the guy both started running.

[Detective Jason White]

Who are these guys?

[Georgette Lake]

Oh, no, they're just people that were walking down the street. Always helps everybody.

[Carter Roy]

Georgette said she didn't know who they were, but Detective White remembers what Rowdy said. He still isn't sure if Georgette is telling him everything.

[Detective Jason White]

Listen to me. Rowdy seems to think that you're not gonna be completely honest with us because he thinks that you're gonna want to take care of business on your own. I think you know more than that.

[Carter Roy]

It's been two hours and nine minutes and Detective White is still searching for a lead. On August 29, 2020, 32 year old Mark Clifford Lake was shot dead at his encampment in Tulsa, okl. Following his death, homicide detective Jason White takes charge of the investigation. So far, he's learned from one witness, a man named Rowdy Peterson, that two men shot Mark. Rowdy knows the two men live somewhere nearby, but he's not sure where. But the witness says that Mark's wife Georgette does. Detective White sits down to talk to her, hoping that she'll tell him everything she knows.

[Detective Jason White]

Rowdy cares a lot about you. And he cares a lot about your husband. He tells me that you know them pretty well. I need to know who these guys are.

[Georgette Lake]

I don't know who the other guy was, where he came from, who he looked like. A little miniature knockoff version of Ajay, I guess.

[Detective Jason White]

Where do they live?

[Georgette Lake]

Uh, Latterburg.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay, but you know who AJ Is, and AJ Was there, period.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

Do you know any more to his name?

[Georgette Lake]

No. He just came up from California.

[Detective Jason White]

Does he have any tattoos?

[Georgette Lake]

A grim reaper on his shoulder.

[Carter Roy]

Thankfully, Georgette provided Detective White with three pieces of valuable information. One of the Suspects is named A.J. he has a tattoo of the Grim reaper on his shoulder. And he lives off a street called Latimer Place. He passes this Information along to Sergeant Nathan Schilling.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Search our database for

[Jason Enrique Arce]

A.J.

[Detective Jason White]

latimer.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

It'll search all our reports and field interviews and maybe we'll get lucky. Where someone mentions his nickname, This holds some promise. Andres J. Martinez. So we will find him in traces. And there we are. And he lists the address in East Latimer Place. So he just got arrested like three weeks ago and claims to be homeless.

[Carter Roy]

37 year old Andres J. Martinez grew up in Riverside County, California. He has no prior convictions. Based on what the investigators have Learned so far, Sergeant Schilling thinks this may be the A.J. georgette is referring to. He wants to see if she recognizes him. Sergeant Schilling brings This information to Detective White, who's still in the interrogation room with Georgette. Detective White shows her a photo of Andres Martinez.

[Detective Jason White]

Is that him?

[Georgette Lake]

Yes. Check his shoulder.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay, so this is the guy that's got the Grim Reaper tattoo on his

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

shoulder, the individual you referred to as aj.

[911 Dispatcher]

Mm.

[Georgette Lake]

We have literally only known him about maybe a week and a half. He's supposed to go get stuff from any store that we choose. Anything we want, he's supposed to be able to do it.

[Detective Jason White]

Was he getting dope in exchange for bringing you guys stuff?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yeah,

[Georgette Lake]

but he would never show up with the stuff. He would just show up himself. Everything's in the car. Everything's in the garage. And they ended up arguing, bickering. There's a kit ambush that Vivi took from aj. Made him walk home.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

What?

[Detective Jason White]

What did he take?

[Georgette Lake]

A kit ambush? It's a bike.

[Carter Roy]

She says that AJ was supposed to pay Mark for drugs that he'd been fronted. But when AJ failed to come through, Mark took his bike.

[Detective Jason White]

Is that why AJ came back? Probably pissed off.

[Georgette Lake]

Probably.

My husband made him empty his pockets and leave his bike.

[Detective Jason White]

Does your husband have a knife?

[Georgette Lake]

He has a knife that slides in and out, but I think he left it at the tent when we left. I had my knife on.

[Detective Jason White]

What kind of knife do you have?

[Georgette Lake]

I have a, like, switchblade type knife. It's black and silver.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, so let's talk about the second guy. Describe him for me.

[Georgette Lake]

I was like, a high five.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you happen to notice any tattoos on the.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

On that guy?

[Georgette Lake]

No.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you get a decent look at him?

[Georgette Lake]

No.

[Detective Jason White]

But you definitely got a good look at aj?

[Georgette Lake]

There's a gun in my face. I try to remember what they were looking like.

[Carter Roy]

If you didn't catch that. She said, usually if someone pulls a gun in my face, I try to remember what the f. They were looking like.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, sit tight.

[Georgette Lake]

Thank you.

[Carter Roy]

Although they still have to identify the second suspect, Detective White has enough to get a warrant for AJ's arrest, but he and Sgt. Schilling aren't sure where to find him. According to a recent incident report, AJ's address on Latimer Place is vacant.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

AJ shows to be homeless in our database, so I was trying to figure out his address on Latimer. On the 10th, a call went in of a burglary at the location. The tenants moved out, so that address is probably not going to be good anymore.

[Detective Jason White]

We'll find him.

[Carter Roy]

Three hours in, the case takes a turn. Officer Dylan Myers was patrolling the area around the crime scene. When he spotted a man fitting the description of the second suspect, AJ's unnamed friend. Officer Myers pulled him over to talk to him and he could sense something was off. He tells Detective White about their interaction and why he decided to bring the man in for questioning.

[Detective Jason White]

So how did tattoo guy come into this situation? He was like looking around really nervously, so I stopped him. He was like, man, I just came

[Jason Enrique Arce]

from a quick trip over there on Sheridan.

[Detective Jason White]

He was super nervous.

[Carter Roy]

It's been 2 hours and 44 minutes. Detective White looks up the suspect. 38 year old Jason Enrique Arce, also known as Loco, is from Compton, California. He has a prior conviction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. And he's listed as a known member of the Serenos gang, which originated in Southern California and has spread across the country.

[Detective Jason White]

Had a little contact with the Serenos in a previous case. You have the Mexican Mafia. Below the Mexican mafia, you're gonna have the Serenos here in Tulsa. I know that you're gonna have a variety of different Serenios cliques or sets. For him to be certified as a gang member in the city of Tulsa, that says something right there in and of itself. He's been certified for a reason. He's got a motherload of tattoos on his face. I don't know specifically if there's any significance to those tattoos. It's impressive. It's kind of scary. We don't run across hardcore people like him.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White shows Mark's friend Rowdy a photo of Jason Loco Arce to see if Rowdy recognizes him. He shares the result of that conversation with Sergeant Schilling and another police officer.

[Detective Jason White]

I'm thinking tattoo is not going to be, you know, nothing. So I take it into Rowdy. I'm like, hey, dude, do you know this guy? The moment I show him a picture, I mean, that's him. But he didn't say nothing about any tattoos on this guy's face. No, this guy's got freaking tattoos all over the place.

[Carter Roy]

It's been 2 hours and 54 minutes. Detective White decides to show Georgette a photo of Jason Enrique Arce as well.

[Detective Jason White]

I want to see what her reaction's gonna be when I show her the photo of this guy. You know that guy.

[Carter Roy]

White shows the victim's wife a photo of Jason Arce.

[Detective Jason White]

Are you sure?

[Georgette Lake]

He kind of looks almost like the guy the same way. His horse coat. I don't know his face. I mean, everything else about him seems familiar. It makes sense why we can see how dark his hair was. Looked like.

[Carter Roy]

Now, Georgette says it makes sense why she couldn't see him clearly with how dark it was.

[Detective Jason White]

Was out there.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White decides he needs to talk to Arce himself. From his dealings with other gang members, he knows the way to get respect is to give respect. And then hopefully, Arce will tell Detective White and Sergeant Schilling the truth.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, well, first of all, I'm Detective White. This is Sergeant Schilling over here. He's from California.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yes.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

We're at. I was born in la. He's still there.

[Detective Jason White]

He had some serious tattoo work, man. Serious. Here's what I want to talk to you about. So you're over there at the Quick Trip, Is that right?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

I always just happened to be out there because my girl was picking up. I don't know if it was her cousin or her friend or something.

[Carter Roy]

He says he rode with his girlfriend to the gas station earlier that night.

[Detective Jason White]

What kind of car was it?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

BMW.

[Georgette Lake]

Cheat guy.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

And I was drunk, and Mary started arguing. I took her out by the trash can.

[Carter Roy]

He says after they got in a fight, he stormed out of the car. And she drove off.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

There's, like, a field all right there, like grass and stuff and brush. I went towards that one.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Then I came back out and I called her up. I was back and forth. I was waiting for her. She didn't come back.

[Detective Jason White]

So did you see anybody or see anything go on? While you were in that field, Met

[Jason Enrique Arce]

a bunch of homeless people.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you hear any gunshots?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Gunshots?

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah.

[Carter Roy]

He shakes his head no.

[Detective Jason White]

You didn't hear anything like that?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Not when I was there. I didn't have gunshot.

[Detective Jason White]

Well, there's a. We had a situation where there was a. There was kind of an incident that happened with a homeless person. Not saying you were involved in that in any way, shape or form.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you happen to meet up with a friend of yours that was a male, like a. Like a homeboy or anything like that over there earlier?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Not there at all.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay. Who would that. Who would that be? I call him J.R. how about AJ?

[Carter Roy]

Detective White shows Arce a photo of Andres AJ Martinez. Arce doesn't show any emotion either way.

[Detective Jason White]

Like that guy. You know him?

[911 Dispatcher]

Nah.

[Detective Jason White]

You don't know him?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

No.

[911 Dispatcher]

No.

[Detective Jason White]

Have you fired a gun today?

[Carter Roy]

Again, Arce shakes his head no.

[Detective Jason White]

Perfect. I've got a test that I want to basically rub your hands to tell me whether or not you fired a gun. Is that cool?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

And what are you saying, it was shooting or something? Because you're asking about gunshots.

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah. Yeah, there was a shooting.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Yeah.

[Detective Jason White]

When you said you ran into some homeless people back in the back. How far back?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Right there. Right where? That parking lot in North Philly.

[Detective Jason White]

Did you go down the trail at all?

[911 Dispatcher]

No,

[Andres AJ Martinez]

they're gonna go down the trail.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

It's dark.

[Carter Roy]

Arce says not far, just by the parking lot. He didn't go down the trail to the encampment. It was too dark. And he agrees to take the gunpowder residue test. It will take some time for the results to come back.

[Detective Jason White]

Let me see your hand right quick.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

So that's what this is all about?

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah. So if you don't got nothing to do with it, you got nothing to worry about.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Somebody got hurt or something?

[Detective Jason White]

Unfortunately, yeah. What's your girlfriend's phone number?

[Jason Enrique Arce]

It's on my phone.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay. What's her name?

[Carter Roy]

Arce tells Detective White and Sergeant Schilling her name, which we aren't disclosing, but he doesn't want them to call her.

[Detective Jason White]

We're going to call your girl. We're going to verify that with her. We'll look at your phone. You've given me your gunshot residue test. That's pretty helpful.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

I mean, I really don't think you calling her is going to solve this.

[Detective Jason White]

I think it's going to help us out big time.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Feel like harassing her. Like, at which time you said it was 12 or whatever. Me and her already been arguing and calling her up and bugging her or whatever, or just harassing her over that type of shit.

[Detective Jason White]

We just need to call her just to verify we're your story. Sit tight.

[Carter Roy]

As they exit the interrogation room, Detective White says he has a feeling that Arce is involved. And if he can't find the answer soon, time could be running out. It's been 3 hours and 39 minutes. Detective Jason White is making progress in Mark Lake's murder case. He has one of the two suspects in custody, a man named Jason Enrique Arce. But he also needs to find Arce's suspected accomplice, Andres A.J. martinez. Sergeant Nathan Schilling agrees, but Arce isn't telling them what they need to know. So Sergeant Schilling calls Arce's girlfriend to try and learn more. Detective White listens in on the call, along with Lieutenant Brandon Watkins.

[Detective Jason White]

What is he being pushing for, if you don't mind reacting?

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

There was a incident that happened over there behind the Quick Trip.

[Detective Jason White]

Please don't tell me he's in trouble because he didn't do nothing. Honestly. But I've unknown he wasn't going to take a while because we got into that quick trip and that's it.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Was there anyone else with him?

[Detective Jason White]

He had a friend with him, but I don't know his friend. I don't get along with his friend. Me and his friend don't get along for.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Who's his friend?

[Detective Jason White]

I don't know his name. I just know it's not a Mexican fool.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

How long was he in the car with you guys?

[Detective Jason White]

He don't understand the car with me. Whenever we got into it. He freaking met with Jason.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

You know that you can get in trouble if you lie to the police to hinder an investigation, correct?

[Detective Jason White]

Yes, I understand that, and I'm not lying to you. Me and his friend don't get along.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Did he tell you anything about what happened while you were gone?

[Detective Jason White]

I don't even know what the is going on, honestly. And that's the honest, bizarre truth.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Someone was shot tonight. And if you're lying for him, What's his friend's nickname? Come on.

[Detective Jason White]

Don't. Don't be.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Don't play dumb.

[Detective Jason White]

Honestly, I don't like his friend. I don't even like him being around that. I knew the stupid was gonna happen. I feel his friend is the father, but I know they were gonna do something.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

So they weren't talking about being mad or looking for somebody?

[Detective Jason White]

No, sir. I didn't know shit.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

All right, but.

[Detective Jason White]

But she's saying just enough to make it sound like she's telling the truth. And she said the word honestly 14 times. She's lying.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White and Sergeant Schilling agree with Lieutenant Watkins.

[Detective Jason White]

He's involved, isn't he?

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Yeah, he's number two. Okay, I figured he was Tim and aj.

[Detective Jason White]

She told us that.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

No, no, but she does say his friend's in the car. A male friend that she doesn't like. That's nothing. But trouble is in the car with him. They get out and they walk away. And then she leaves.

[Carter Roy]

Four hours after Mark's murder, surveillance video from the gas station comes in. Detective White and Sergeant Schilling take a look at it. The video shows a white BMW pulling into a parking spot, the same car the suspect, Jason Arce, described. A moment later, a large man in dark clothes matching AJ's description gets out of the back seat. After that, Jason Arce gets out of the front passenger seat and follows him. Detective White spots something else in the video, a contradiction from what he's been told, Both Arce and his girlfriend said they were fighting. But in the video, Detective White sees something that brings that into Question.

[Detective Jason White]

Hang on. Go back a little bit. Real quick. See right there? That is kiss.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

That's a little contrary to what he was telling you.

[Detective Jason White]

So he said that they had a big fight, but then they just kiss in the car. And he's getting out of the car 8:45.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

So 18 minutes before the 911 call.

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah, he claims that he just went right over into the field and that was it. And then he left. Okay, so let's look at the south view of that.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

Like 9:03.

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah, probably the 911 call. Initial comes in at 9:02.

[Carter Roy]

They check the footage from just a minute or two after the shooting. Two men come running into the frame. They're in the distance, but it looks like Jason Arce and his friend, the man they believe is AJ Martinez.

[Detective Jason White]

That's going to be them. That's going to be aj. So they're together. That's. That's huge. Huge video. I guess we could see if AJ's phone number's in his phone.

[Carter Roy]

Using a phone number they have for AJ, from a prior report, Sergeant Schilling searches Jason Arce's contacts.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

He confirms AJ's number is in Arcee's phone.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, that's good. That's good.

[Sergeant Nathan Schilling]

And I was looking at his location data, and it puts him at AJ's house on Latimer. So he was back at the house doing something after he no longer lives there.

[Detective Jason White]

That's good. Now we're cooking.

[Carter Roy]

It feels like they're on the verge of cracking this case. So they return to the interrogation room and confront Jason Arcene.

[Detective Jason White]

You didn't tell us that there was a guy in the car with you. You said it was a chick, man. Yeah, yeah. You were in there with a guy that goes by AJ.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

I don't know AJ.

[Detective Jason White]

You've got AJ's number in your phone, man. You were lying to me about being with this guy, and it's causing you some problems. You met three people. Aj, AJ and ajj.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

I mean, Chicago's gonna be all women asking.

[Detective Jason White]

Well, maybe, but. But it's the same number that we have for AJ. Andreas Martinez.

[Carter Roy]

It's been five hours and 49 minutes.

[Detective Jason White]

And then the other problem is the fact that I've got you on video running from that field with the other dude. The information that we've got from the witnesses that were up there at the scene with. That you were with this other guy, was that you both were shooting.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Okay?

[Detective Jason White]

That's what we were told. There was a charge. Murder.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Are you serious, man? Yeah.

[Detective Jason White]

I'm dead serious. These guys are gonna take your clothes. It is a homicide. The guy did die. So we're gonna talk to A.J. you know, we're gonna find him, and we'll talk to him as well. Best of luck.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Okay?

[Detective Jason White]

We're gonna book Jason RC These are two violent individuals, so it's gonna be nice to be able to get these people off the street for. For this victim's wife. In large part, this is because of that. Alert police officer, Officer Myers noticing this guy walking down the street. And sure enough, you know, he's one of the two suspects.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

So I'm probably gonna be on first 48, huh?

[Detective Jason White]

Yeah. The next thing is we're gonna be looking for AJ who is gonna be Andres Martinez. My hope is that we're gonna be able to locate him relatively quickly.

[Carter Roy]

They decide to arrest Arce for killing Mark Lake and the search for his accomplice. AJ Is on patrol. Officers scan the neighborhood for AJ and the area around his old address on latimer place. Just 13 hours in, AJ is brought down to Homicide. Detective White is running on fumes. He talks to the officer who brought AJ In.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, tell me what happened. This morning.

[Carter Roy]

We drove by Glamour Place.

[Detective Jason White]

He was asleep in a chair outside the house.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

If he's a man of character, then he's gonna step up for his buddy, and he's gonna tell me what really was going on.

[Carter Roy]

This is the final piece of the puzzle, the key to closing the book on Mark Lake's murder. Detective White conducts the interrogation with Lieutenant Brandon Watkins.

[Detective Jason White]

All right, buddy. My name's Jason White. This is Lieutenant Watkins over here next to us, and I'm one of the detectives that's up here.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

Where were you last night?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I've been out all night.

[Detective Jason White]

Do you know a guy that has a street name of Loco?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I heard about him.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White shows AJ Pictures of Jason, Arce and Jason's girlfriend. AJ doesn't betray much emotion.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

Would it be that guy?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yeah.

[Detective Jason White]

Have you ever seen that girl before?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Long, long time.

[Detective Jason White]

Did she happen to give you a ride with her boyfriend? Dropped you off over to Kwik Trip, which has cameras everywhere.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

She had another girl with her.

[Carter Roy]

He says she had another girl with her.

[Detective Jason White]

Well, here's the problem with that, because we've already talked to her, and she's told us that both you and him were together in the car, and then the two of you guys got out.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I was there with her in the

[Georgette Lake]

car,

[Andres AJ Martinez]

and I told him that's it.

[Rowdy Peterson]

So I just want to.

[Carter Roy]

He Claims he was there with her in the car. Then he walked home. That's it. All he did was walk home.

[Detective Jason White]

There's a guy by the name of Mark Lake. Him and his wife, they live in a tent along the trail from. Along that quick trip.

[Jason Enrique Arce]

All right.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

No, I walked down that trail.

[Carter Roy]

Confirmation. He walks down that trail.

[Detective Jason White]

I know. So you know the trail.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

They don't know.

[Detective Jason White]

Yes.

[Carter Roy]

He knows there are unhoused people who stay there, and he says hi to them.

[Detective Jason White]

Well, Mark is dead.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I had nothing to do with this situation.

[Carter Roy]

AJ Says he had nothing to do with this situation.

[Detective Jason White]

Were you around somebody that fired a gun? But that's you, and that's loco.

[Carter Roy]

Yeah, he was running.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Okay.

[Detective Jason White]

This is called a gunshot residue test. It allows me to basically scrub your hands. Does that sound agreeable to you? I'm lying in it. Why does he shoot anybody?

[Carter Roy]

AJ Says he doesn't mind because he didn't shoot anyone.

[Detective Jason White]

Well, I've got two witnesses that watched you do it.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White is close to finishing this interrogation, and then he can make his final arrest. It's been 13 hours and 44 minutes. Detective Jason White has already arrested one suspect, Jason Enrique Arce, for the death of Mark Lake. Now he's focusing on the second suspect, Andres AJ Martinez.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

How would I do that?

[Carter Roy]

AJ Says he didn't kill somebody. How would he do that?

[Detective Jason White]

You pulled out a gun and you shot.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I don't have anything.

[Detective Jason White]

Do you have any tattoos?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yeah, I have tattoos.

[Detective Jason White]

Is one of them a grim reaper on the side of your shoulder?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yes.

[Detective Jason White]

Let me see it, if you don't mind.

[Carter Roy]

AJ Shows him it's just like Georgette described. AJ Tells him he saw Mark riding a bicycle on the trail at some point before the shooting. He says they bumped into each other, but that's it. However, as Mark's wife, Georgette, already told Detective White, it went well beyond that.

[Detective Jason White]

So essentially, there was a situation that happened over there a few days ago where they accused you of stealing something or some weed. Ring a bell?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

He told me that when I was walking by.

[Detective Jason White]

But he accused you of being a thief. He took your bike, he made you empty your pockets, and he sent you home like, get out of here.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I was worried about you, because I know how to do what's wrong.

[Carter Roy]

A.J. says he wasn't even worried about it. He's not worried because he knows he didn't do anything wrong.

[Detective Jason White]

Essentially, that's kind of. That falls in the category for me, that he was being disrespectful to you.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I don't know why we're gonna kill this guy for a bike? Yeah, there's no sense in that. I don't have no guns at all. That's not what I do. I don't kill people.

[Carter Roy]

Detective White isn't buying it. He officially places A.J. under arrest.

[Detective Jason White]

Okay, Loco got charged with murder, so you're gonna get the same thing.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Oh, you charged with microphone?

[Detective Jason White]

The only people that were close to Mark when the gun went off was you and Loco.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

Yeah, but I did not do anything. That's what I'm telling you.

[Detective Jason White]

If you didn't do it, then who does that leave?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

The person is.

[Detective Jason White]

Which is who? I don't know.

[Andres AJ Martinez]

I can't.

[Carter Roy]

Lieutenant Watkins presses him further on it.

[Detective Jason White]

You've got one opportunity to tell the truth, and you're just pissing that away. Are you scared of Loco? He's a Sirenius from East Los Angeles. Are you scared of the man?

[Andres AJ Martinez]

No.

[Carter Roy]

The interrogation is over for now. Detective White performs the same gunshot residue test he did on Jason Arce. Now they just have to wait for the results. He shares his thoughts on how the investigation has unfolded so far.

[Detective Jason White]

What I love about this interview that we did is he corroborates basically everything that the victim's wife had talked about. Everything up until the part where this happens, which tells me she's telling the truth. She watches this go down, so I don't see that she would have a motivation to basically make up that he did this. He's there in their world. I think he felt like he got disrespected, and so he probably was telling his buddy about it. And his buddy, you know, being the strenuous gang member that he is, he's like, man, you're gonna have to do something about it and prove yourself.

[Carter Roy]

It's been 14 hours and 14 minutes, and this case is closed. The gunshot residue tests came back positive for both men. In the face of all the evidence, Andres AJ Martinez pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Prison Jason Arce fought the charges and was convicted of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. When it was all said and done, Detective White reflected on the tricky nature of this case.

[Detective Jason White]

You know, this was a challenging case straight out of the gate. Just because you're dealing with the homeless population, for starters, sometimes they're. They're afraid. They're afraid to talk. For her to have the courage to step up. I'm extremely proud of her, and I think that she did the right thing for her husband. On his behalf.

[Carter Roy]

Not only did Georgette play a crucial role in solving her husband's murder, she managed to turn her life around after experiencing this horrific tragedy. It's a testament to her resilience and strength and a powerful way to honor Mark's memory. About a year later, she talked about her journey following her husband's death.

[Georgette Lake]

About a week after he had passed, my mom, she was like, well, you can come stay and, you know, whatever you need. And I didn't want to do it. I don't like accepting help from people. But then my son called me on the phone and he's like, mom, you need to go stay with Mimi. I was like, well, that's just Smalls right there telling me to hurry up and get into a place. So I've stayed over here last five, six months. There's three kids all together and the two youngest were taken away. They're just all the way in Missouri. My oldest, she's the one that has seen, you know, our life. She actually come up to me just the other day and she was like, you know, mom, Smalls is the only actual father figure I've ever had. It's been different. I've actually gotten out and started working. I'm still trying to readjust to living indoors or living with other people or having to adjust that to being just respectful, normal person, you know, because with Mark, it was living in each other's moment rather than the world. I see his face all the time. I know that Mark didn't like me being out there at all. All he ever wanted was best for me. So I'm trying little steps at a time.

[Carter Roy]

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the First 48. Join us next week for another high stakes homicide investigation and the crucial early hours that define it. To learn about how you can help the families of homicide victims, go to www.aetv.com 48resources. Thanks for listening to this episode of the First 48. To hear more from, follow the First 48 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts. There's also a link to the show in this episode's description.