Martinez gets 50 years for teen’s murder

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Robert John Anthony Martinez

Robert John Anthony Martinez

The man convicted of murdering a San Benito teen last year will spend most of his adult life in prison for the crime.

Robert John Anthony Martinez, 19, of San Benito was sentenced to 50 years in prison Tuesday, Nov. 5, by a jury in the 103rd state District Court in Brownsville. Martinez was found guilty of murder on Monday for the November 2012 stabbing death of Angel Perez.

Martinez, according to the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office, confessed to stabbing Perez.

“What the jury told the defendant and this community is that they’re fed up with gangs,” District Attorney Luis V. Saenz said in a statement Tuesday. “The DA’s office echoes the jury’s message. We will continue to strongly pursue convictions of those defendants with a history of gang activity.”

It was after midnight on Nov. 19, 2012, when Martinez stabbed 19-year-old Angel Perez 18 times and “left him for dead,” according to the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office.

Detective Rogelio Banda Jr. of the San Benito Police Department, the arresting agency, previously said that Perez was bleeding profusely from wounds caused by “a sharp object” and was transported to to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. Perez succumbed to his injuries shortly after his arrival.

“The defendant’s criminal history began at a very young age along with his involvement in the gang culture,” Saenz said in a press release issued Monday. “Martinez now adds murder to his rap sheet.”

Assistant District Attorneys Ismael Hinojosa and Edna Dinsdale prosecuted the case, in which it was argued that Martinez “chased down” Perez as well as the victim’s friends in a San Benito neighborhood, located near the intersection of Winchell and Rockefeller, “because he suspected they stole a car radio.”

Martinez was one of six suspects arrested by the SBPD in connection with Perez’ death, including Ruby Nadine Sanchez, 24, JJ Leal, 19, Jose Lasaro Ramos, 22, Miguel Angel Perez, 19, and Esteban Rodriguez, 23—all of whom were initially charged with first degree murder.

Miguel Angel Perez’ murder charge was eventually dismissed and was indicted for manslaughter.

Martinez is also the second of the suspects to go before a jury as Rodriguez was indicted in February of this year.

Ramos and Miguel Angel Perez were scheduled for an announcement hearing Friday, Nov. 1, and Leal’s case remains still pending. Authorities, however, have received Leal’s lab reports, according to Zamora, and Sanchez’ case also remains pending.

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