Joel Brandon Martinez, a 42-year-old man, was convicted last Thursday of fatally shooting Carlos Beltran Aguilar, the abusive 35-year-old boyfriend of one of his friends, at a motel in Stanton.
The murder occurred on the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2019, at the Villa Motel, located at 11672 Beach Blvd., in Stanton.
Gilbert Timothy Ramirez and Brandon Garet Iseminger, both co-defendants, accepted plea deals.
Ramirez was sentenced in March of last year to 10 years and four months in prison while Iseminger is still awaiting sentencing.
Amy Lynn Black, another co-defendant, is still awaiting trial on felony charges of murder and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell. She is accused of selling drugs supplied by Martinez.
Martinez was convicted of felony charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of a gun by a felon. Jurors also added a sentencing enhancement for discharge of a gun causing death.
Martinez was convicted of fatally shooting Aguilar . He is set to be sentenced on April 19.
In the days leading up to the shooting, Black sent multiple angry text messages to two friends complaining about Aguilar, who she believed was not faithful to her. She also sent messages to Martinez and Aguilar that pointed to her desire to have the victim killed, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Alexa Elliott.
