According to body camera footage, a Utah mother, her children, and their friends discovered the body of a handyman who had been working on a house.
The woman said she returned to the Salt Lake City-area home on May 28, 2020, to find the man, later identified as 39-year-old Melbin “Tony” Martinez, unconscious in the driveway.
“There’s a gentleman in the driveway who isn’t breathing, and his heart isn’t beating,” she told 911. “He’s just lying on the ground.” He’s died. I do not feel a pulse.”
Body camera footage showed the woman telling an officer that she was returning the boys to their West Valley City home from a sleepover when they discovered Martinez’s body. One of the boys’ fathers stated that the kids were understandably upset.
“They walked up and saw the body,” the father explained.
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Officers conducted a walk-through of the scene, which revealed blood in the driveway and backyard. As cops investigated, two officers held up a sheet to block public view of Martinez’s body.
Detectives later identified the suspect as Jesus Valdez, Jr., who lived next door. He was apparently irritated by the noise Martinez was making while working on the roof and shot him multiple times.
Valdez pleaded guilty to murder in September, and in October, a judge sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison.
As previously reported, Valdez was a Surenos 13 gang member with a lengthy criminal record that included assaulting both of his parents and threatening to kill an ex-girlfriend.
According to local CBS affiliate KUTV, during one of Valdez’s court hearings, Martinez’s family noticed the defendant had a “187” tattoo, which is interpreted to refer to the section of the California Penal Code that criminalizes murder.
