Tulare County Superior Court judge sentences Anthony Martin to life for killing his girlfriend in 2019
VISALIA – Anthony Martin will spend the rest of his life in prison after murdering his girlfriend in her home in Visalia.
Anthony Martin
23 years old
On Friday, June 24 the Tulare County Superior Court, Martin, 23, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2019 murder of his girlfriend.
Under current California law, Martin must serve 42 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole; however, due to his age, 20, at the time of the crime Martin is eligible for a youth offender parole hearing after 25 years of incarceration. The youth offender parole hearing can apply to inmates who were below the age of 26 when the crime was committed.
According to the district attorney’s office, the crime occurred early in the morning on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019 when Martin and his girlfriend of two years had an argument on the drive back to her house in Visalia. During the argument Martin threatened and choked her.
When they arrived at the house Martin told her to get his AR-15 rifle, which she was storing for him. After Martin left his girlfriend called a friend and said the relationship was over. She gathered the things Martin left at her house and dropped them off on the porch of his residence. While she was driving back to her own residence she noticed Martin’s vehicle following her.
Martin, who was still in possession of the rifle, arrived at the house and argued that some of his property was not returned. The victim’s roommate heard them argue. The victim told him to leave and a few seconds after walking out the front door Martin turned and fired four shots through a metal security door. One of the shots hit her in the neck and shrapnel from another shot hit her leg.
A neighbor heard the shots and witnessed Martin leaving in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement arrived in minutes, but the victim was deceased at the scene. She was 21-years-old.
Through their investigation law enforcement was able to locate Martin’s storage locker where they found the illegally modified rifle. Using cell phone pings officers located Martin sitting in his car eating breakfast outside his place of employment.
A jury convicted Martin of second-degree murder with the special allegation of personal use of a firearm causing death and a possession of an assault weapon on Tuesday, April 12.
