Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials Monday confirmed a juvenile suspect identified as part of an investigation into a Dec. 26 stabbing is in juvenile hall custody for charges in connection to a separate incident.
Station officials confirmed the identity of a second suspect that followed months of investigation by the station’s COBRA Team, which stands for Career Offenders, Burglary Robbery Arson, and primarily addresses violent and gang-related crime.
Station officials identified a suspected local gang member, Carlos Daniel Martinez, 23, as one of two they believe were part of a stabbing incident that happened on Sierra Highway, about one-third of a mile west of Jakes Way.
Detectives determined their second suspect’s identity as a 16-year-old boy who’s believed to be part of the same gang as Martinez.
Detectives figured out their connection by relying on past field work, statements from the scene and telephonic records, according to court documents.
The Boxing Day stabbing happened around 8 p.m. after the victim got into a verbal altercation with Martinez, who then told the victim that he was going to “call his homies,” according to court documents obtained by The Signal.
Shortly thereafter, a vehicle pulled up to the parking lot, the 16-year-old got out, and both started beating up the victim. The victim reported that he tried to run, but his alleged assailants caught up and continued the attack, until at one point, the teen pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim, according to sworn statements in court documents.
On June 27, prosecutors filed an assault with a deadly weapon charge in San Fernando Superior Court against Martinez, according to L.A. County Superior Court records available online.
He pleaded not guilty to that charge and he’s due back in court Thursday for his next hearing.
The June filing represents the second attempt by prosecutors to charge Martinez.
The first filing in February, following Martinez’s January arrest, resulted in the assault charge being dismissed/not prosecuted, according to online court records.
The L.A. County District Attorney’s office was not immediately available Monday to discuss the prosecution of either Martinez or the juvenile suspect Monday.
No information was available on the charges facing the 16-year-old suspect as no criminal records involving juveniles are published online.
Martinez is currently being held at Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic in lieu of $130,000 bail.
