Sheriff: Edinburg man shot and killed after trying to run down wife, deputies 

Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra revealed Wednesday afternoon that the wife of an Edinburg man killed by police Tuesday night had been pinned by his truck against her neighbor’s front door prior to the shooting.

The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference regarding the domestic disturbance that resulted in the death of 53-year-old Enrique Ponce Martinez who was previously arrested on March 10 for assaulting his wife, the victim in last night’s incident.

According to Guerra, deputies responded to the 200 block of Moonstone Road in Donna after receiving “multiple” 911 calls regarding an aggravated assault at approximately 11:02 p.m.

“When they arrived, they made contact with the victim who stated that her husband, Enrique Martinez, arrived at her residence holding a machete in one hand and a knife in the other,” Guerra said.

The victim stated that Martinez held the knife to her throat and threatened to kill her.

She managed to escape from Martinez and ran about 200 yards to her neighbor’s home across the street.

Martinez, who is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol or “some type of narcotic,” ran to his truck and began chasing her with his vehicle.

When she arrived at the neighbor’s, “she started pounding on the door, asking for help.”

“At that point, Martinez pinned her to the door with his truck,” Guerra said.

It was then that the neighbor opened their door and the victim fell into the home where she was able to run through the home and exit through the backdoor and into a field north of the residence, according to the sheriff.

Martinez left the scene soon after.

Once deputies arrived, they began speaking to the victim but as they were conducting their investigation, they and multiple witnesses observed Martinez returning at a high rate of speed toward them.

He drove onto the property with the intent to strike his wife and the deputies at the scene, according to Guerra.

“At that point, our deputies discharged their weapons and as a result, he was struck multiple times,” Guerra said.

Deputies attempted to resuscitate Martinez at the scene.

EMS was summoned and transported him to the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance where he was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Maldonado at 12:30 a.m.

The victim was also transported to a local hospital and treated for her injuries sustained during the incident.

Guerra said that one of his deputies was injured at the scene and was admitted at a local hospital but has since been released.

He added that two deputies were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation as part of their standard protocols, according to Guerra.

“Our Officer Involved Shooting team was summoned and they began their investigation,” Guerra said. “They will complete their investigation and they will forward their findings to the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office where he will decide whether he will take it to a grand jury review.”

Guerra stated the sheriff’s office and its Victim Service Unit would offer assistance to the victim and her neighbor whose home sustained damage during the aggravated assault and shooting incident.

Guerra explained near the end of the conference that Martinez was married to the victim for about 30 years, but they had been separated for five years.

An emergency protective order was put in place following the March 10 assault against the victim.