Road rage murder nets life sentence for teen

Ruben Martinez was convicted of killing Francisco “Frankie” Rodriguez. Ruben Martinez was convicted of killing Francisco “Frankie” Rodriguez. Photo: Bexar County Sheriff's Office Photo: Bexar County Sheriff's Office Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Road rage murder nets life sentence for teen 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Before Ruben Martinez was arrested in the road rage killing of a stranger along Interstate 37 in December 2011, the youth was believed to have already participated in numerous drug deals, smuggling of illegal immigrants, gang violence and at least six nonfatal shootings — including firing into a house where his 1-year-old was asleep.

With a criminal resume that “incredibly extensive” at such a young age, there was little other choice but to assess a life sentence, prosecutors suggested Wednesday at the conclusion of Martinez's punishment hearing.

State District Judge Sid Harle agreed.

Jurors convicted Martinez, 19, in November of the murder of Francisco “Frankie” Rodriguez, a fellow motorist who appears to have garnered the defendant's ire after he inadvertently got between Martinez and his brother while they were racing near downtown.

Defense attorney Larry Greenwood didn't seek a specific sentence for his client, but he did ask the judge to take into account that Martinez could mature in prison and come out a productive member of society.

The judge responded that Martinez appeared to be “an admitted and very proud gang member” who, still on parole from incarceration at a juvenile facility, had no business possessing the firearm used to kill Rodriguez.

Harle, a Republican, alluded to the recent Connecticut elementary school shooting, adding that he's a strong supporter of gun rights.

“You, on the other hand, would be a poster boy for the other side,” Harle said, describing him as “an individual who has shown a great danger to the community at a very early age.”

Prosecutors Christian Henricksen and Kelly Pittl spent the daylong hearing calling multiple officers to the stand to outline in detail the six alleged shootings that led up to the murder.

Ex-girlfriend Balbina Cardenas told the judge she was with Martinez at some of the shootings, including an incident one month before the murder in which he targeted the home of his baby's mother, who has since accepted his marriage proposal.

“She (the mother) was posting stuff on Facebook,” Cardenas said of Martinez's reason for the shooting. “He pointed his gun towards (her) house. ... He wouldn't listen and stayed there shooting until I pulled him into the car.”

Martinez's brother was arrested for felony witness tampering several weeks before the murder trial began. He moved across the street from Cardenas, tried to offer money to her brother to convince her not to testify and was heard assuring others that he was keeping an eye on her, authorities have alleged. That case is awaiting indictment.

Prosecutors also pointed to Martinez's juvenile record, which they said included more than 15 arrests.

The alibi he attempted to give when interviewed for the murder charge was that he was busy that night working as a coyote to smuggle immigrants.

“He's proven he doesn't care who he hurts,” Henricksen said, adding that it takes some criminals a lifetime to accumulate the sort of history Martinez has.

ckapitan@express-news.net

Twitter: @HearsaySA