Opinion ID: 59634
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arrest and Confessions

Text: At approximately 3:30 a.m. on July 13, 1994, San Marcos Police Officers arrested Martinez on a capital murder warrant at the residence of his grandmother. Upon his arrest, Martinez repeatedly gave police a fictitious name even after they discovered his identification in his back pocket and noted the identifying tattoos on his arm. Immediately upon his arrest, Martinez received his Miranda warnings and gave a nod to indicate he understood same. Following his arrest, while police were examining a baseball bat they found in the bedroom where he had been arrested, Martinez volunteered a comment along the lines of “that’s not what you’re looking for” or “that’s not it.” During the brief drive to the Hays County Law Enforcement Center, Martinez: (1) asked if he were going to San Antonio that night and, when the officer driving the vehicle indicated negatively, Martinez volunteered that he had known there were police officers outside watching the house and that he could have done something if he had wished to do so; (2) spontaneously inquired “who ratted on me?” and, when the officer driving the vehicle responded the matter was in the papers, Martinez sat up straight, appeared to be proud, and later volunteered “I killed them just like cockroaches”; and (3) spoke English without difficulty and displayed no slurred speech, smell of alcohol, or other overt sign of intoxication. Much later on the morning of July 13, 1994, a pair of San Antonio Police homicide detectives traveled to San Marcos to interview Martinez but were forced to wait several hours while Martinez went before a local magistrate. While they waited, the two detectives: (1) went to the residence where Martinez had been arrested, (2) obtained consent from Martinez’s grandmother and uncle to search the residence, (3) took custody of a backpack his grandmother indicated belonged to Martinez, (4) took custody of a Dallas Cowboys baseball cap and a pair of tennis shoes, both of which Belinda testified belonged to her brother Eric, 5 No. 06-70021 and (5) took custody of a shirt and pair of trousers Martinez’s uncle indicated belonged to Martinez. Inside the backpack, the detectives found a black leather vest which Belinda testified at trial belonged to one of her uncles. The San Antonio homicide detectives returned to the Hays County Law Enforcement Center and interviewed Martinez. At approximately 12:30 p.m., after again receiving his Miranda warnings, Martinez agreed to be interviewed and signed a waiver of his rights. In his written confession, Martinez stated, in pertinent part as follows:2 I want to talk to you about what I remember about the murder of Carol Prado and Eric Prado, 231 Obregon, San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, July the 11th, 1994. I have been dating Carol for about two months. I had drank a 12-pack of Bud Light beer, a big bottle of Bacardi rum. I got off work at Handy Andy at 1:45 a.m., and I walked to Carole’s house. I am living with Carole, and when I got home I started drinking. I got home about 1:50 a.m. When I got there, Carole was awake. Eric was asleep in the living room on a mattress on the floor. Belinda was on the couch also in the living room. Belinda was awake. I had a friend of mine there but I don’t want to tell you who he is. I walked my friend down the street at about 3:00 a.m., and I returned a short time later. I went outside and drank more, and then I walked down the street and threw the bottle. I went back in the house at 5:10 a.m. I was freaking and tripping and I hit Carole for no reason. I picked up a baseball bat that I tripped on. It was wooden. I hit Carole in the head with the bat. I must have hit her a lot to make her pass away. When I came in at 5:10 a.m., she told me to call her mom and tell her mom that she was going to stay home with the kids and would not be going to work. After acknowledging his statement extended to a second page, Martinez continued his confession as follows: After I hit Carole, I went back to the living room and put the bat on the side of the couch, and I sat on the couch. Belinda was half 2 The confession contains the victim’s name spelled as “Carol” and “Carole.” 6 No. 06-70021 awake and half asleep. Belinda wanted to go see her mother, and I told Belinda not to go in the bedroom because Carole was in the shower. I didn’t want Belinda to see her mother. I told Belinda to lay down and go to sleep. I thought I saw Eric coming at me, so I grabbed the bat and hit him in the head. I realized he was still laying on the floor. I stood up and hit Eric about four times with the same bat. I looked at Eric and said to myself, What the fuck AM I doing. I then tied Belinda’s hands in front of her with a tie. I told her to go to her grandmother’s house after I left. I tied her hands loosely. Belinda asked me what she was supposed to tell her grandmother. I then wrote a note that said “I messed up. I’LL be on the Friends at the EAst side.” I gave Belinda the note. I then left and went to a friend's house on the east side of San Antonio. I told him what I had done and I asked my friend to just put a bullet in my head. I can't give you my friend’s name. I don’t know why I hit Carole and Eric. Carole had told me when I came home that she had seen me talking to a lady at Handy Andy but we didn’t argue. I understand my rights and I am waiving my rights and I am giving this statement because I want to. My statement is true and correct and this happened in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. After making a correction to the draft of his confession, Martinez wrote the following appendix to his confession in his own handwriting: I feel for the actions I took, I'm requesting the only just sentence for me is the “Death Penalty.” I took a life of someone who I cared about a lot. I feel that I can never bring her back. Please, give me the “Death Penalty”!! I'll never forget Carol. The pain swells within my heart forever. Carol, wherever you are please forgive me. “I Do Love you”!!