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An appellate court has denied a claim from a 36-year-old Weslaco man who was convicted of stabbing his 54-year-old uncle to death in 2020.
Manuel Martinez III had filed an appeal claiming that his lawyer was ineffective. The 13th Court of Appeals on Thursday shot down that appeal by affirming the trial court’s judgment.
Martinez pleaded guilty on March 2 to killing his uncle, Reynaldo Menchaca Villarreal, after Weslaco police investigated a traffic accident where they found Villarreal to have stab wounds on March 18, 2020.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Villarreal used his dying words to inform investigators that his nephew, Martinez, stabbed him.
After pleading guilty, a judge sentenced Martinez to 45 years in prison.
Martinez testified during his plea hearing that he considered his uncle to be his mentor and someone he looked up to, according to the appellate ruling.
Despite that, Martinez added that Villarreal introduced him to methamphetamine after Martinez was released from prison in 2012 and that he worked under his uncle as a member of the Valluco gang.
Martinez admitted that he and Villarreal were involved in narcotics distribution and we do “drops” in Tennessee, delivering marijuana and methamphetamine while they ingested methamphetamine along the way.
“In fact, Martinez and his uncle returned from one of these drops just prior to the incident,” the document said.
Leading up to the stabbing, Martinez had been going through a difficult time. He became addicted to cocaine, methamphetamine and alcohol. He had also recently attempted to take his own life after he and his wife separated.
In addition, Martinez had an outstanding warrant for driving while intoxicated.
On the night of the incident, Martinez called Villarreal so he could help Martinez turn himself in.
Martinez said that he was “amped up … on methamphetamine” and “was seeing stuff.”
He explained that he had been awake for 30 days doing meth and was “being schizo.”
“His uncle tried to calm him down, but Martinez could tell that his uncle was ‘getting mad,’” the ruling stated. “Martinez knew his uncle to be an aggressive person, saying he had witnessed his uncle assault people in the past.”
Because of this, when Martinez felt his uncle touch him, he reacted believing that Villarreal was about to hurt him, according to the ruling.
Martinez stabbed him in the chest, lower legs and forearms, according to a report from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office that is cited by the appellate court.
When deputies arrived at the Donna residence where the stabbing occurred, they found Martinez walking on the road.
Deputies observed a blood trail on the roadway that led to the entrance of the residence.
They overheard Martinez state he was sorry and recovered a knife from him with what appeared to be blood.
“Martinez expressed remorse about the incident and attributed his behavior to his drug use, saying he did not mean to kill his uncle,” the ruling stated. “Martinez suggested 25 years would be an appropriate punishment.”
Martinez will be eligible for parole in 2042 but his projected release date is in 2065, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
