A murder retrial opened June 10 for a Harbison Canyon man accused of killing his romantic rival and wounding the defendant’s girlfriend in a 2014 early morning shooting in El Cajon.
Abel Angel Martinez, 52, is charged with killing Eufracio Alberto Enriquez, 38, and attempted murder of Leila Farmer, 41, when both were shot in bed around 6:25 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2014. They were staying in a residence in the 1500 block of Wilson Road off Dehesa Road.
A murder retrial opened June 10 for a Harbison Canyon man accused of killing his romantic rival and wounding the defendant’s girlfriend in a 2014 early morning shooting in El Cajon.
Abel Angel Martinez, 52, is charged with killing Eufracio Alberto Enriquez, 38, and attempted murder of Leila Farmer, 41, when both were shot in bed around 6:25 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2014. They were staying in a residence in the 1500 block of Wilson Road off Dehesa Road.
Enriquez was shot in the head and died at the scene, but Farmer held up both arms defensively and was wounded in both arms. The seven man five-woman jury plus four alternates are hearing the trial before El Cajon Superior Court Judge Evan Kirvin.
Deputy District Attorney Amy Colby told jurors sheriff’s deputies found many pages of letters Martinez wrote while he was planning to shoot both victims. Deputies found the letters under his mattress where he stayed.
“Idiot, you don’t know what is awaiting you,” Colby read from a Spanish translation of the letter referring to Enriquez. “I believe you would be good for a moment as plant fertilizer.”
“This chick doesn’t know what she is doing. She doesn’t know what is coming to her,” read Colby from a Spanish translation.
Martinez’s attorney, Thomas Bahr, told jurors his client only came into the residence to get Farmer out of there and struggled over a gun with Enriquez which was on the table. Bahr said Martinez had an 18-year friendship with Enriquez.
“He was greeted by Albert’s aggression and a gun,” said Bahr. “He only went over there to help Leila.”
Bahr said a friend drove Martinez to the residence and he got rid of the gun afterwards. Martinez told a friend who drove him there to drive off because Enriquez was shooting at him.
As for the letters under the mattress, Bahr said those reflected his anger, but were “not a plan” to hurt the two victims. “Abel had no idea Albert was dead,” said Bahr, saying he later surrendered to deputies.
The jury in the first trial could not reach a verdict in October 2015, and a mistrial was declared. Martinez remains in jail on $2 million bail. He has pleaded not guilty.
Seven years in state prison after man pleads guilty for criminal threats and gun use
Sergio Sandoval Granados, Jr., 22, has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for making a criminal threat to a Walmart store employee in which he displayed a firearm after the worker noticed he left the La Mesa store without paying for merchandise.
Granados asked for immediate sentencing May 24 to El Cajon Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein after pleading guilty. Goldstein imposed three years for the criminal threat plus four years for personally using a gun in the crime.
The incident occurred March 14 at the Walmart store located at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive. La Mesa Police officers arrested Granados at the Grossmont Trolley Station at 8601 Fletcher Parkway after he fled the store on foot.
Goldstein gave Granados credit for 144 days in jail and fined him $2,224. A robbery charge was dismissed.
