Waco man sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2021 murder

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Waco man charged with three juveniles in the 2021 shooting death and robbery of a man who was lured to South Waco by a bogus social medial account was sentenced to 35 years in prison Thursday.

Justin Angel Hernandez, 22, must serve at least 17 ½ years in prison before he is eligible for parole in the shooting death of 22-year-old Israel Martinez, the father of a young son.

Martinez’s mother, Luz Martinez, and sister, Vanessa Martinez, attended the hearing and expressed disappointment in the 35-year plea offer from the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office. Both said they think Hernandez deserves the death penalty for killing their loved one, an insulation company employee.

Israel Martinez is the second of their family members killed by gun violence at a young age.

Hernandez initially was charged with capital murder in Martinez’s death. However, the DA’s office reduced the charge to murder in exchange for Martinez’s guilty plea and 35-year prison term.

Prosecutors also dismissed an engaging in organized crime charge for which Hernandez was awaiting sentencing when he killed Martinez. The DA’s office had recommended deferred probation for Martinez after he pleaded guilty in a string of auto burglaries.

One of Hernandez’s co-defendants, Edgar Alfonso Castillo, who was 15 at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty last week in Waco’s 54th State District Court to a reduced charge of murder in Martinez’s death. Judge Susan Kelly sentenced him to 30 years in prison after accepting his plea agreement.

Castillo, 18, Cyle Flores, 16, and Jeremiah Marquez,18, all were certified to face the charges as adults and were not eligible for the death penalty because they were not 18 at the time of the offense. Flores and Marquez have Aug. 12 trial settings in 54th State District Court.

Assistant District Attorney Kristi DeCluitt declined comment Thursday because the other cases remain pending. Hernandez’s attorney, John Donahue, also declined comment.

Waco police say the teens worked with Hernandez to use Facebook Messenger to lure Martinez to a home in the 2200 block of Gurley Avenue. Martinez was shot multiple times in front of the home, which police say had been broken into through a back window. Police reported finding spent shell casings from a number of different types of firearms at the scene. Witnesses saw multiple people flee the scene.

Officers found Martinez’s wallet, cell phone and other items near his body, police said. After examining his phone, investigators said his Facebook account showed he had been communicating with a woman named Kaelani Moore on Facebook Messenger.

A photo that purported to be Moore’s was on the phone, along with a message telling Martinez to come to 2212 Gurley Ave., according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Detectives found the conversation Martinez was led to believe was with the woman came from Hernandez’s Facebook account, the affidavit alleges. Hernandez directed Martinez to send money to a money transfer application with the screen name “Kaelani M,” the reports state.

Waco police allege in the affidavit that the account associated with the email address on the Kaelani Moore Facebook account was used to “set up the murder victim.”

Martinez is the brother of 24-year-old Valarie Martinez, who was found shot to death at Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir park along with her 1-year-old daughter, Azariah, in November 2017.

Christopher Paul Weiss was convicted of capital murder after an April trial in Waco’s 19th State District Court and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

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