In May 2013, Jose Martinez was arrested for the murder of Jose Ruiz, who had connections to his daughter's boyfriend. During the police interrogation in Alabama, Martinez shockingly confessed to killing 36 people across at least 12 states. He explained that most of his victims were adult men linked to debts owed to Mexican drug cartels, except for one 17-year-old boy whom he attempted to kill.

Martinez faced the consequences of his actions in court, pleading guilty in Alabama to the murder of Jose Ruiz in March 2013. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Later, in California, he admitted to nine more murders and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole in October 2015.
 

His trial in Florida in June 2019, where he was tried for two counts of murder, spanned three weeks. After deliberating for three hours, the jury decided against the death penalty, sentencing him instead to two consecutive life sentences. During the trial, more than a dozen of Martinez’s family members testified, sharing personal stories that highlighted his role as a protective family member and a grandfather who enjoyed taking his grandchildren to Disneyland.

Martinez's lawyers portrayed him as a complex individual. His attorney in Alabama, Thomas Turner, described him as polite and likable. Another lawyer, John Spivey, pointed out the stark contrast between Martinez's cold actions and his dedication to his family, suggesting that, in the end, the jury saw more of the human side of Martinez than the monster he had been.