WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Over four years after a West Valley City handyman was found dead outside a home he was working on, the man who was originally arrested for the 2020 murder has plead guilty.
On Monday, Jesus Adolfo Valdez Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree felony murder in the death of Melbin Martinez, although the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office said the motive is still unknown.
Martinez was found not breathing with three gunshot wounds outside a home next to Valdez's house on May 28, 2020. A witness had seen Valdez driving away from the scene on a motorcycle as she walked up to the home.
DNA evidence found on the grip of a gun found in a nearby vehicle matched Valdez, while shell casings located near Martinez's body were the same as the ammunition in the gun.
At the time of the shooting, West Valley City Police said Martinez had worked on the home previously and "and is reported to have developed a negative relationship with some neighbors due to noise."
Valdez's father told police that on the day of the shooting, his son had broken up a television and bedroom door, and then broke them into smaller pieces to fit into a garbage can. The elder Valdez later saw his son pacing in the backyard of their shared home before he left once Martinez's body was found.
“We mourn the loss of Melbin Martinez at the hands of the defendant and hope this conviction provides some measure of justice for his family and loved ones. We appreciate the cooperation of the family of the defendant that helped ensure accountability in the death of Mr. Martinez, an innocent handyman with no connection to defendant besides working next door,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
Valdez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20.
