Ernest Martin was born on September 22, 1960, in Cleveland, Ohio. While little is widely known about his early childhood, court records and witness testimonies suggest he led a turbulent life marked by crime, instability, and threats of violence even before the murder that would ultimately lead to his execution.

Martin had previously served jail time, and in earlier cases, he was known to persuade his girlfriend, Josephine Pedro, to lie on his behalf. Letters entered into evidence during his final trial revealed a pattern of attempting to deflect blame onto others. One such letter, dated February 1981, asked Pedro to lie for him in an unrelated criminal matter, a tactic he would later repeat in the case that led to his death sentence.

By the end of 1982, Martin’s relationship with Pedro had turned volatile. She testified that Martin had threatened her with a stolen revolver. It was later confirmed that the weapon was taken from a local security guard, Ernel Foster, during a robbery on December 20, 1982. Pedro, under duress, wrote down the gun's serial number. Martin had altered one of the characters to make it appear like a phone number.

In the early hours of January 21, 1983, Ernest Martin planned an armed robbery targeting Robinson’s Drug Store, a small business owned by 71-year-old Robert Robinson. Martin's girlfriend, Josephine Pedro, testified that he threatened her into cooperating with the plan. She was to act as a decoy — knocking on the door to request medicine for a cold, knowing Robinson would recognize her and unlock the door.

Martin planned to follow closely behind Pedro. Disguised with a brown knit mask and wearing gray pants, tennis shoes, and a black leather jacket, he waited for the door to be opened. However, after letting Pedro in, Robinson locked the door again, leaving Martin outside. Enraged, Martin fired two shots through the glass door, one of which struck and fatally wounded Robinson.

Despite the botched entry, Martin returned to the apartment to change clothes and later came back to the store to complete the robbery. According to Pedro, he ultimately stole only $39.

Robinson’s employee, Monty Parkey, was in the back room at the time. He called emergency services and notified Robinson’s wife. Pedro gave a false statement to police, claiming to know nothing. Martin, too, gave a casual response to police at the scene.

The next day, the couple coordinated their story to distance Martin from the shooting. But by January 29, both were arrested. Pedro eventually confessed and cooperated with police. She recounted the entire plan, confirmed the weapon’s origin, and testified that Martin had fired the fatal shots.

During the trial, the state introduced damning evidence, including letters written by Martin from jail urging Pedro to shift blame onto a fictional man named "Slim." Another woman, Antoinette Henderson, testified that she heard Martin plan the robbery in December 1982 and that he threatened her to keep quiet.

Despite no witnesses being called by the defense, Martin’s legal team attempted to submit prior statements by Pedro and Henderson. These were rejected. The jury found Martin guilty of aggravated robbery and aggravated murder with firearm specifications. He was sentenced to death.

Over the years, Martin filed multiple appeals, including claims of wrongful arrest and ineffective counsel. He also attempted to introduce new witness testimony from E.J. Rieves-Bey, who initially said the fleeing suspect didn’t match Martin's build. However, this witness later gave inconsistent statements, and his credibility was challenged due to admitted cocaine addiction and memory lapses.

On June 18, 2003, after nearly 20 years on death row, Ernest Martin was executed by lethal injection. At the time of his death, he maintained his innocence, comparing himself to Jesus Christ and forgiving those who had testified against him.