Man Pleads Guilty to Murder in Brutal Slaying Avoiding the Death Penalty

SAN ANGELO, TX -- A San Angelo man accused of murder in the brutal killing of 69-year-old William Valdez took a plea deal Monday afternoon that sends him to prison for 40 years. 

According to court documents, 28-year-old Eric John Martinez was originally charged with capital murder but took a plea deal offered by the District Attorney's office that reduces the charge to murder.  

As we reported earlier, 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.

Marin took a plea deal earlier that sent him to prison for life.  Losoya had a pretrial hearing earlier this month. Lavaris has a jury trial set for May 2019.