California gang member on death row murdered in prison
Alberto Martinez (Credit: California Department ofCorrections and Rehabilitation)
CALIPATRIA, Calif. - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials are investigating the fatal stabbing at Calipatria State Prison of a 46-year-old incarcerated gang member from Castaic who was sentenced to death for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Buena Park businessman.
At approximately 1:23 p.m. Thursday, prison staff observed Alberto Martinez being struck by another incarcerated man, Tyler A. Lua, and knocked to the ground where Lua continued to hit him. Lua stepped away and two other inmates, Jorge D. Negrete-Larios and Luis J. Beltran, began striking Martinez as he was on the ground, motionless, according to corrections authorities.
Corrections staff quickly stopped the incident using pepper spray and one baton strike, prison officials said.
Staff members immediately initiated an emergency response and called 911. Medical staff performed life-saving measures on Martinez, who was taken to the prison's triage and treatment area. At 2:20 p.m. Martinez was pronounced dead, corrections authorities said.
Prison officials said Martinez had injuries consistent with an incarcerated-manufactured weapon and two such weapons were found at the scene. No staff or additional incarcerated men were injured.
No information on a motive was available.
Left to right Jorge D. Negrete-Larios, Tyler A. Lua and Luis J. Beltran. (Credit: California Department ofCorrections and Rehabilitation)
Martinez came to Calipatria on Aug. 17, 2010 and was placed on condemned status for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with an enhancement for street gang activity and two years for street gang activity, to be served concurrent with the condemned sentence.
He had also been found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and street terrorism for being the getaway driver for the Oct. 2, 2002, abduction and slaying of David Montemayor.
The jury also found true special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain, murder during a robbery, murder during a kidnapping and murder to benefit a gang.
According to testimony during Martinez's trial in 2010, he and three other gang members were recruited to kidnap and kill the 44-year-old Montemayor because his sister, Debra Perna, objected to him taking control of the family's moving and storage business.
Beltran, 31, came to Calipatria from Los Angeles County on April 6, 2023, and was sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder with enhancements for the intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury/death and possessing/owning a firearm as a felon.
Negrete-Larios, 33, came to the prison from Riverside County on July 5, 2016, and was sentenced to 32 years and four months for attempted second-degree murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, discharge of a firearm and street gang activity in commission of a violent felony.
Lua, 25, came to the prison from San Bernardino County on Jan. 31, 2019, and was sentenced to 19 years for attempted second-degree murder with an enhancement for use of a firearm. While incarcerated, he was sentenced by Imperial County to two years for having a controlled substance in prison.
Officials have limited movement on the yard where the alleged attack occurred. Lua, Negrete-Larios and Beltran have been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the Calipatria State Prison Investigative Services Unit and the Imperial County District Attorney's office, officials said.
The Office of the Inspector General was notified and the Imperial County Coroner will determine Martinez's official cause of death.