Tweet
UPDATE:
FORT WORTH -- A Saginaw man may not face murder charges in the death of a 59-year-old man in June after an autopsy was unable to determine the cause of the man's death.
Jesus Martinez died June 2 at his south Fort Worth home in the 3700 block of Livingston Avenue after a fight with Travis Mark Smith, 27.
Police say Smith forced a female roommate at the home into his vehicle and fled the scene. The female escaped a few minutes later.
Smith was arrested the next day on a murder warrant but was not formally charged with murder as investigators awaited the results of the autopsy. He was, however, charged June 8 with aggravated kidnapping in the case.
A Tarrant County medical examiner's office spokeswoman previously said that although an autopsy found Martinez suffered blunt force trauma in the assault, more tests and examination were needed as none of the injuries appeared to be fatal.
But after the recent completion of a microscopic examination and toxicology tests, the medical examiner's office has now ruled Martinez's manner and cause of death as undetermined.
Homicide Sgt. Cheryl Johnson said Tuesday that investigators are awaiting a copy of the full autopsy report "so we can review all aspects of the case."
"At that time, we will meet with the Tarrant County district attorney's office to determine what, if any, charges will be filed," Johnson said.
Shawn Paschall, Smith's defense attorney in the aggravated kidnapping case, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Court documents allege that Smith displayed a BB gun during the kidnapping and threatened Martinez's roommate that "she would be next," indicating to her that he was going to kill her.
On her Facebook page, the woman posted that Smith had killed Martinez in front of her, and then took her away. She said she was able to escape at a convenience store.
Smith remained in the Tarrant County Jail Tuesday on the kidnapping charge and on an alleged parole violation, for which he was being held without bond. Court documents show that Smith was sentenced to two years in prison in August 2010 for driving while intoxicated.
Deanna Boyd, 817-390-7655
Twitter: @deannaboyd
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/03/4076837/saginaw-man-might-not-face-murder.html
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07...#storylink=cpy
FORT WORTH -- A Saginaw man may not face murder charges in the death of a 59-year-old man in June after an autopsy was unable to determine the cause of the man's death.
Jesus Martinez died June 2 at his south Fort Worth home in the 3700 block of Livingston Avenue after a fight with Travis Mark Smith, 27.
Police say Smith forced a female roommate at the home into his vehicle and fled the scene. The female escaped a few minutes later.
Smith was arrested the next day on a murder warrant but was not formally charged with murder as investigators awaited the results of the autopsy. He was, however, charged June 8 with aggravated kidnapping in the case.
A Tarrant County medical examiner's office spokeswoman previously said that although an autopsy found Martinez suffered blunt force trauma in the assault, more tests and examination were needed as none of the injuries appeared to be fatal.
But after the recent completion of a microscopic examination and toxicology tests, the medical examiner's office has now ruled Martinez's manner and cause of death as undetermined.
Homicide Sgt. Cheryl Johnson said Tuesday that investigators are awaiting a copy of the full autopsy report "so we can review all aspects of the case."
"At that time, we will meet with the Tarrant County district attorney's office to determine what, if any, charges will be filed," Johnson said.
Shawn Paschall, Smith's defense attorney in the aggravated kidnapping case, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Court documents allege that Smith displayed a BB gun during the kidnapping and threatened Martinez's roommate that "she would be next," indicating to her that he was going to kill her.
On her Facebook page, the woman posted that Smith had killed Martinez in front of her, and then took her away. She said she was able to escape at a convenience store.
Smith remained in the Tarrant County Jail Tuesday on the kidnapping charge and on an alleged parole violation, for which he was being held without bond. Court documents show that Smith was sentenced to two years in prison in August 2010 for driving while intoxicated.
Deanna Boyd, 817-390-7655
Twitter: @deannaboyd
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/03/4076837/saginaw-man-might-not-face-murder.html
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07...#storylink=cpy
Comment