Flagstaff father convicted of first-degree murder after 6-year-old son starved in closet

Anthony Martinez was convicted Thursday of the 2020 murder of his son after authorities say he deprived his two children of water and food and kept them locked in a closet.

Coconino County jurors found the death of 6-year-old Deshaun Martinez was caused by his father locking the boy in a bedroom closet in their Flagstaff apartment for 16 hours a day, and for over a month.

Martinez's trial started on April 18 and lasted more than a month, according to officials with the Superior Court of Coconino County.

Jury deliberation started on Tuesday afternoon and ended on Thursday morning when a guilty verdict was announced.

Prosecutors said Deshaun Martinez and his unidentified 7-year-old brother were locked in a closet as a punishment for taking food. Deshaun's older brother, and two sisters aged 2 and 4, survived the abuse.

In March 2020, Deshaun's grandmother reported the boy to be unresponsive, with police at the scene pronouncing the boy dead. An autopsy report stated he weighed only 18 pounds at the time of his death.

The children's other family members also faced charges. In early 2023, Elizabeth Archibeque was charged and sentenced to life without parole after she pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of her son.

Grandmother Ann Martinez pleaded guilty to child abuse charges and was scheduled to enter trial in August.

Anthony Martinez's sentencing was scheduled for June 28.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Flagstaff father convicted in starvation death of his 6-year-old son