Published Oct 16, 2008
A weapon possibly used in the jailhouse stabbing of an Española man has been located in another inmate’s bed, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department.
Anthony Martinez, 27, of Chimayó, is alleged to have stabbed Jesus Naranjo, 27, on Oct. 8 at the Santa Fe County Jail while Julian Romero, 28, of Española, stood watch, Undersheriff Robert Garcia said. Abdias Flores, 22, is being charged with possession of a deadly weapon by a prisoner, Sheriff Greg Solano said. If the investigation connects the weapon to the stabbing, he could face additional charges, including tampering with evidence.
Naranjo was stabbed in the chest three times with a thin, pointy, icepick-like object, with one of the wounds puncturing his heart, Garcia said. The weapon found during a shakedown of alpha pod is a sharpened piece of metal believed to have been taken off the leg brace of a former inmate, Solano said. Surveillance video footage shows Martinez passing an object, suspected to be the weapon, from the common area in his cell block to Flores in an adjacent cell block, Solano said.
Though initially listed in critical condition, Naranjo was returned to Santa Fe County Jail Tuesday and is currently being held in the medical ward of the jail, Solano said.
The stabbing itself was also captured by surveillance camera footage, in which Martinez can be seen to “go at Naranjo in a (lunging) fashion,” according to court documents. Martinez and Naranjo confronted each other on the second tier in Alpha Pod, in between their two cells, Garcia said.
“The suspect is seen going back into his cell (afterwards),” Garcia said. “The victim is struggling, walking on the second tier towards the stairwell. Correction officers were there within seconds.”
Romero’s role as an apparent lookout during the stabbing was also captured by the camera, Garcia said. He is seen walking into the victim’s and suspect’s cells and standing looking out off the second tier while the confrontation occurred. During questioning afterwards, Romero showed signs of nervousness and told detectives “he thought (Martinez and Naranjo) were only going to fight but after the altercation was done, he realized Naranjo’s injuries were much more severe.”
Garcia said the incident happened after the inmates had breakfast, when the cells on the top tier were open, allowing inmates to roam. Inmate Floyd Zamora told investigators Naranjo said, “(Expletive) this, let’s do this,” over breakfast, and described Martinez yelling “hoo-rah” in his cell after the stabbing.
Although Zamora told detectives the incident may have been gang-related, inmate David Vigil said he did not believe it was a gang hit. A gang hit, Vigil told investigators, would not have been a fight between the two, and would have been more secretive and not taken place in front of surveillance cameras.
A 2007 State Police report describes Martinez as being a member of Syndicato Nuevomexicano gang, known as SNM, and having the corresponding “505” tattoo. Martinez had been incarcerated pending trial on charges of conspiracy and two counts of attempt to commit a felony, according to an online court records database; jury selection in his case was scheduled for Nov. 4. Martinez previously pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy, larceny, trespassing, indecent exposure and assault, according to the database.
Solano said Naranjo was also believed to be in a gang, though it was not known which one. Another possible motive for the stabbing was discovered in interviews, which uncovered a confrontation between Naranjo and Martinez about five years ago, Solano said.
Romero was in jail awaiting trial on charges of robbery, conspiracy, and concealing identification stemming from a Santa Fe incident, court documents state. He is well-known to Rio Arriba law enforcement for his alleged involvement in multiple property crimes, including a November 2007 incident in which he accidentally locked himself in a closet while attempting to rob an Española mortgage company.
Naranjo was being held on charges of aggravated battery, shoplifting, conspiracy, and paraphernalia possession filed in January, according to the database. Flores is awaiting trial on charges of robbery, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing law enforcement, and other charges.
At a plea hearing on Martinez’s previous charge of aggravated fleeing law enforcement Oct. 10, prosecutor Krishna Singh proposed a plea agreement that would have had Martinez released on probation, Assistant District Attorney Joseph CampBell said Tuesday. CampBell, who would have been handling the stabbing case against Martinez had the victim died, was in court on a different matter and witnessed the hearing. State District Court Judge Michael Vigil realized Martinez was the same person suspected in the stabbing, and disallowed the plea, saying he would only agree to one that gave Martinez jail time, CampBell said.
Detectives noted Martinez showed no remorse or emotion when advised he would be charged with attempted murder. Martinez was also charged with tampering with evidence, court documents say. Romero was charged with conspiracy and both he and Martinez are being held on $250,000 cash-only, according to the jail’s web site.