An arrest affidavit says Samuel Laird believed people were coming to kill him before Yirmar Martinez was wounded during a Cedar Hill delivery.
CEDAR HILL, TX — A 33-year-old man accused of shooting an Amazon delivery driver told investigators he had been hearing voices saying people were coming to kill him, according to an arrest affidavit obtained after the driver was wounded during an early-morning delivery.
Samuel Laird was arrested Oct. 14, two days after Amazon Flex driver Yirmar Martinez was shot while delivering a package at a property in Cedar Hill, south of Dallas. Authorities have linked Laird to the Oct. 12 shooting, and he faces an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. Martinez survived after being struck twice and suffered injuries that police described as not life-threatening.
According to the affidavit reported by FOX 4, Laird later told investigators that he was hearing voices that said people were there to kill him. His parents told investigators he had not been sleeping well and had begun hearing voices about a week before the shooting. They believed he was experiencing a mental health episode and were preparing to take him to a hospital when officers arrived at the residence, the affidavit states.
Martinez said she was making deliveries before dawn when she pulled into a driveway off North Cedar Hill Road. Because the property was dark and she could not easily find the front door, she turned on her vehicle’s high beams and moved toward an access road near the home. She then saw an armed man outside, according to her account to local news organizations.
Martinez said she tried to make clear that she was delivering a package. She displayed her Amazon vest and the package, but said the man spoke to her in English and she could not understand what he said. She said he then opened fire. Martinez tried to drive away as shots continued, according to her account. One bullet grazed the top of her head and another struck her lower back.
Martinez, 23, told Univision that she was on a video call with her husband during the delivery. After the shooting, she continued driving until she encountered a motorcyclist who helped summon emergency assistance. Police later found her in a nearby parking area. Her vehicle was retained as evidence during the investigation.
Investigators reported finding an AR-15-style rifle at the foot of Laird’s bed inside the home, according to the affidavit cited by FOX 4. Shell casings found in the driveway were described as compatible with the rifle. Investigators also found pieces of Martinez’s vehicle, including a mirror and parts from underneath the vehicle, in the yard area of the property. Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the shooting beyond the statements described in the court document.
Martinez works through Amazon Flex, a program in which independent delivery drivers use their own vehicles to deliver packages. She had been doing the work for about six months, according to her interviews with local media. She told Univision she chose early-morning delivery shifts in part because the schedule allowed her to spend more time with her young son.
Amazon said the safety of delivery partners is a priority and that the company had contacted Martinez about available support. The company also said it was reviewing the incident and would cooperate with law enforcement as the investigation continued.
Laird remained in the Dallas County Jail on a $100,000 bond as of the latest reporting. The criminal charge is an allegation, and the available reports did not establish that Laird had entered a plea or been convicted. Cedar Hill police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Author note: Last updated October 21, 2026.