Hearing delayed for Hernández murder suspect
May 19—A hearing in the case against Kevin Martinez, accused of killing a man in Hernández, was postponed Friday after the District Attorney's Office filed a motion asking for a 24-hour delay.
The hearing is now scheduled for Monday, according to online court records.
The motion states prosecutors need additional time to make a decision on whether to file a motion seeking pretrial detention to keep Martinez in custody until his trial on a first-degree murder charge. District Attorney's Office spokeswoman JoHanna Cox said Thursday the state plans to file such a motion.
Martinez, 22, is accused of fatally shooting Elmer Sanchez Jr. at a mobile home park in Hernández — a small community in Rio Arriba County north of Española — during an argument between Sanchez and other neighbors. Martinez was on house arrest at the time of the shooting in connection with a rape case, in which he is accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl in 2020 and holding her against her will for about two weeks.
Martinez was arrested Wednesday following an hourslong standoff at an El Llano Road residence in Española. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office Maj. Lorenzo Aguilar said Martinez was bitten by a police dog and suffered tear gas-related injuries before his arrest.
Rio Arriba County jail administrator Jose Gallegos said Martinez had not been booked into the facility as of Friday morning because he was still receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
Online court records show Rio Arriba County Magistrate Alexandra Naranjo signed an order Friday setting interim conditions of release in Martinez's murder case, which requires the payment of a secured $250,000 bond.
A court clerk confirmed Martinez was hospitalized and said his interim conditions of release will be reviewed again Monday.
