Bio

Ernesto Salgado Martinez III was born on November 17, 1975. He grew up in a Hispanic family in the United States. In July 1995, he took a blue Monte Carlo car from California. He also took a license plate from another car. Two days before committing a serious crime, he showed a friend a revolver. The gun had black electrical tape wrapped around its handle. It was clear that he was prepared for something dangerous. He drove at high speeds on highways, attracting the attention of other drivers. This reckless behavior would later play a part in his capture.

Murder Story

On August 15, 1995, Ernesto Salgado Martinez III shot and killed Officer Robert Martin in Maricopa County, Arizona. This event took place after Martinez had stolen a blue Monte Carlo car and a license plate from another vehicle in California. Days before the murder, he displayed a revolver with black electrical tape wrapped around the handle to a friend.

On the day of the crime, several drivers noticed Martinez driving erratically and speeding excessively on S.R. 87. As Officer Martin approached the stolen car to investigate, Martinez shot him four times. He then took Officer Martin's service revolver. After the shooting, many witnesses recorded Martinez's license plate number as he fled the scene at high speeds.

Martinez traveled to California, where he was arrested the following day. The police found the gun he used during the murder and also recovered Officer Martin's service revolver. During a phone call after his arrest, Martinez was heard bragging about killing a police officer. Ballistics tests confirmed that at least one of the bullets that struck Officer Martin came from Martinez's revolver.

Martinez's trial started on September 4, 1997, and he was found guilty on September 26, 1997. He was sentenced to death on August 18, 1998. The court noted his prior convictions for violent crimes and the fact that he murdered a peace officer while in the line of duty as aggravating circumstances in the case. Mitigating factors included his age at the time of the murder, his personality disorder, and his family history.