Geoffrey Hammond, the ride-share driver convicted of murdering Ryan Martin in downtown Portland, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. He will have the opportunity for parole after serving 30 years.
During the sentencing, Martin’s family shared their profound grief and the impact of the loss on their lives. Emily Martin, the victim’s daughter, expressed her anguish, stating, “I now see the bottom half of the world that’s always existed, that only grief opens your eyes to. The reality of it really is as bad as you think. There is no beauty here.”
The tragic event unfolded on October 11, 2023, when Ryan Martin, a 47-year-old master electrician, engaged in a minor road altercation with Hammond, who was parked outside the Moxy Hotel. Following a rude gesture, Martin exited his vehicle as Hammond retrieved his handgun from a lockbox, chambered a round, and shot him.
Despite being wounded and lying on the ground, Martin raised his arms to signal that he was unarmed. Hammond, however, attempted to fire again but his gun jammed. In a chilling remark made to Martin, Hammond said, “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you in the head.”
Prosecutor Brad Kalbaugh addressed the media after the sentencing, stating that Hammond’s actions were not a result of road rage but rather a misguided belief in the need for deadly force. “No reasonable person would have acted as Hammond did,” Kalbaugh remarked.
Samuel Gomez, a bystander who witnessed the shooting and was struck in the knee by a stray bullet, also spoke at the hearing. He expressed his relief at surviving the encounter and described Ryan Martin as an angel on that tragic day.
Hammond was arrested after he called 911 from a nearby parking garage. His first trial, held in December 2024, resulted in a mistrial due to a single juror being convinced by Hammond’s claim of self-defense. A second trial in April led to his conviction on charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder.
Family members lamented that their loved one’s violent death seemed to overshadow his life. Katelyn Michaud, Martin’s stepdaughter, emphasized that her step-father defined his legacy through actions beyond that moment: “People say time makes it better or easier, but the grief doesn’t go away, it just hits you different.”
Stephanie Martin, the victim’s wife, reminisced about her husband’s passion for music and the love he shared with their blended family. “He was the rock to our family,” she said through tears, holding onto his wedding ring, now worn around her neck, symbolizing her enduring love.
Hammond, age 48 at the time of sentencing, was born Geoffrey Mandalis in Chicago and hailed from a politically connected family. He attempted to present himself as a cryptocurrency influencer, but his financial situation worsened, leading to the loss of his home to bankruptcy proceedings last year.
No supporters attended Hammond’s sentencing, and he chose not to address the court as he plans to appeal the conviction. This case sheds light on the tragic consequences of impulsive violence and the deep-seated pain inflicted on the victims’ families.
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