Brutal Killer’s Capital Murder Trial Set for November in San Angelo

SAN ANGELO, TX -- November 5, 2018.  The first Monday in November. A man accused of participating in a brutal killing now has a court date after District Judge Barbara Walther instructed attorneys for 28-year-old Eric Martinez to share information they have gathered and begin preparing for a jury trial.  

The unique part of Martinez’ trial is that he is charged with Capital Murder, but the Death Penalty has been waived.  If a jury finds Martinez guilty of Capital Murder, he will have an automatic sentence of Life in Prison without the possibility of parole.  

Attorneys for Martinez were ordered by District Judge Walther to be prepared for a jury trial on Monday, November 5, 2018.  

Martinez is accused of conspiring with three others in the murder of an eldery San Angelo Man in a home invasion.  The four defendants are accused of killing 69-year-old William Valdez while invading his home on August 31, 2015. The crime took place in the 500 block of N. Sellers St.

Those charged in the crime are Elisa Losoya, 28, Eric Martinez, 26, Fernando Lavaris, and Jonathan Marin, 26.

According to court documents, Losoya approached Guillermo Valdez, who lived with the victim at the house, telling him they needed to talk.

As Guillermo went back to the house and locked the door, the four broke into a glass door and threatened Valdez asking for money and not to call the police.

Valdez was shot in his left arm and taken to Shannon Medical Center, where he later died.  

Late Thursday afternoon, Judge Walther set the final pretrial hearing for Martinez on October 9, 2018 with a pretrial on August 16 to work around defense and prosecution attorneys’ court schedules.