Prosecutor says Elkhart Martin's shooter watched young women 'looking for a victim'

Jan. 31, 2025

ELKHART — Two Elkhart community members' lives were taken in a short instant Monday night as a gunman sought out a young female and killed her at Martin's Super Market on East Jackson Boulevard.

The Elkhart County Prosecutor's office worked to dispel false rumors about the shootings at a Jan. 31 press conference, and to advise people to recognize what they can do to keep themselves and others safe.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 27, the Elkhart Police Department responded to Martin's on the report of shooting. Elkhart residents Benjamin S. Jeffrey, 49, a customer, and Annasue Rocha, 19, a store employee, were pronounced dead on the scene.

"Annie (Rocha) recognized the danger, but she did not have a chance to stop it," Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker said.

The shooter was identified as Juan M. Sanchez, 54, who the Elkhart County Prosecutor's office said moved to Elkhart in April from Illinois. Becker described Sanchez as being drawn significantly to younger females and that he had some recent changes in his personal life that "eroded" any self-regulation he might have had.

As Sanchez entered the store on Jan. 27 shortly after 5 p.m., he spent 20 minutes watching young women in the store, Becker said.

"During that time, he observed other young females in the store," Becker said, repeating herself two more times, impressing that fact because of it's importance, she said. When asked about the significance of that fact, Becker responded, "There was behavior observed by Mr. Sanchez that made it clear that he was looking for a victim."

During the 20 minutes, Sanchez was also loading beer and wine into his cart, the prosecutor’s office said in a press release, before going to the self-checkout area where Rocha was working. He waited to approach the self-check out until Rocha was alone, Becker said. When Rocha returned his ID that he’d given to purchase an alcoholic beverage, he removed a gun from his pocket, grabbed her wrist and led her toward the exit, the press release said.

Another female customer, who didn't see everything happening, could definitely sense another woman was in distress, Becker said, and she notified a manager. The manager quickly responded, confronting Sanchez.

The manager tried to de-escalate, Becker said, allowing Rocha to break free and take a few steps back from him, but Sanchez turned to Rocha and shot her.

Terror stuck the people in the store, Becker said. The manager told everyone to run as she ran others to safety and toward the exit herself. Sanchez fired toward the exit and then at other people who were at the self-check out running toward the back of the store, ultimately hitting Jeffrey, who was running with his wife near the self-checkout area, the prosecutor's office said.

As Sanchez was pushing his cart toward the store’s exit, he stopped by Rocha’s body and shot her numerous more times on the floor. He left the store with his cart and walked around the east side of River Point West Apartments across the street, where police encountered him. 

Elkhart Police officers, Cpl. Paul Vandenburg and patrolman Ethan Pasternak, were injured after Sanchez shot at them and the officers returned fire, killing Sanchez. On Tuesday afternoon, the prosecutor's office reported that only Pasternak had remained in the hospital, but was in fair and stable condition. When asked about the mental health of Vandenburg and Pasternak, in light of being shot and taking a life, Elkhart Police Chief Dan Milanese declined to comment.

On Jan. 30, the officers left Memorial Hospital as they were greeted by a crowd, including Elkhart and South Bend Police officers, at the hospital's entrance. They walked out quietly, without any emotions or words, hugged and then got into their vehicles while the crowd clapped.

Use of force investigation

The prosecutor's office is conducting its own review of police use of force on Monday night, Jessica McBrier, the police department's public information officer, said on Jan. 31.

The prosecutor's office released information only about the facts concerning the shooting of Rocha and Jeffrey. Becker did not provide details about the officer use of force investigation.

Under the state mandated Uniform Statewide Policy on Deadly Force, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, "A law enforcement officer is justified in using deadly force if the officer has probable cause to believe that deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent threat of serious bodily injury to the officer or a third person or the commission of a forcible felony," the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board policy said. 

When the prosecutor's investigation concludes, the police department will conduct an internal administrative review under that policy, McBrier said.