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Twelfth Judicial District Attorney, Scot D. Key, announces that on February 9, 2024, an Otero County Jury found Guillermo Martinez guilty of 1st Degree Murder (felony willful and deliberate murder), Tampering with Evidence, and Arson, after a five-day jury trial before the Honorable Daniel Bryant. The jury deliberated for approximately five hours before delivering their guilty verdicts.
Guillermo Martinez is set to be sentenced on May 1, 2024.
On February 4, 2021, the Alamogordo Fire Department along with the Alamogordo Police Department responded to a structure fire in the 1400 block of Gray Street. Upon extinguishing the fire, 57-year-old David Curtis was located deceased inside the structure.
During the course of the investigation, it was learned David Curtis was an amputee and required crutches or a prosthesis to be mobile.
It was learned Guillermo Martinez and David Curtis were involved in an altercation on the property. Guillermo Martinez stabbed David Curtis multiple times and started a fire inside the structure destroying evidence and burning Mr. Curtis’ body.
An arrest warrant was issued for Guillermo Martinez, charging him with 1st degree Murder, Arson, and Tampering with Evidence.
On February 18, 2021, Guillermo Martinez turned himself in to the El Paso, Texas FBI office, where he was taken into custody.
This case was investigated by the 12th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit, which is comprised of Investigators from the 12th Judicial District Attorneys Office, Alamogordo Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Otero County Sheriff’s Office and Ruidoso Police Department. The New Mexico State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Alamogordo Fire Department Investigations Unit assisted in the Arson investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney James Dickens, and Deputy District Attorney Michael Heitz.
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