Condemned Castaic man beaten to death in prison  

Alberto Martinez
Alberto Martinez
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A 46-year-old condemned man from Castaic was beaten to death by several inmates who are suspected of using “an incarcerated-manufactured weapon,” according to prison officials investigating the death. 

Alberto Martinez was serving out his sentence at Calipatria State Prison. Around 1:23 p.m. Thursday, a member of the prison staff saw another inmate, Tyler A. Lua, strike Martinez and continue to strike him while he was on the ground, according to a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation news release.  

Prison officials then reported that two other inmates, Jorge D. Negrete-Larios and Luis J. Beltran, began striking Martinez as he lay motionless on the ground. 

Jorge D. Negrete-Larios
Jorge D. Negrete-Larios

Prison staff stopped the incident using “pepper spray and one baton strike,” according to the news release, which did not indicate how long prison staff observed the assault. 

State prison officials said Martinez was taken to the prison’s triage and treatment area “for a higher level of care,” but he ultimately was declared deceased at 2:20 p.m. as the result of his injuries.  

“Two incarcerated-manufactured weapons were found at the scene,” according to the news release from the CDCR. “No staff or additional incarcerated individuals were injured.” 

In response to the attack, prison officials at Calipatria have limited movement on the yard and the three suspected of being involved in the attack were placed in restricted housing, CDCR officials said. 

The death will be investigated by the CAL Investigative Services Unit and the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office.  

Lua, 25, is serving a 19-year sentence for attempted second-degree murder with an enhancement for use of a firearm; Negrete-Larios, 33, is serving 32 years, four months for attempted second-degree murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, discharge of a firearm and street gang activity; and Beltran, 31, is serving life without parole for first-degree murder with enhancements for intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury. 

Tyler A. Lua
Tyler A. Lua

Martinez was sent to the Imperial County prison from Orange County in August 2010, after being convicted in May of that year for one felony count each of special circumstances murder, conspiracy to commit the crime of murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, kidnapping to commit robbery, and street terrorism, according to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.  

Martinez received the death penalty after the jury found the special circumstances that the murder was for financial gain, during the commission of robbery, during the commission of kidnapping and committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang. 

“On Oct. 2, 2002, Martinez kidnapped 44-year-old David Montemayor at his family-run business in Rancho Dominguez with two other co-defendants,” according to a post-conviction statement from the DA. “The three accused kidnappers, Gerardo Lopez, 25, Pacoima, Armando Macias, 34, Lancaster, and Martinez, were members of a San Fernando Valley gang and had been recruited by gang member Anthony Navarro, 43, Canyon Country, to kidnap and murder the victim in a murder-for-hire plot.” 

Luis J. Beltran
Luis J. Beltran

Martinez was convicted of being the driver who brought Montemayor, a married father of three, along with Macias and Lopez, to the victim’s home in Buena Park, where they had been told he kept thousands of dollars. 

Approximately one mile from his home, the victim was able to escape and one of his attackers fatally shot him in the head as he ran away.  

Martinez was taken into custody along with his accomplices after a televised police chase.  

Montemayor’s sister, Deborah Perna, was convicted of arranging the murder and sentenced to 14 years for her role in her brother’s death. 

“Perna asked her co-worker, defendant Edelmira Corona, 33, Pico Rivera, to help her arrange the murder by asking Corona’s friend Navarro to kill Montemayor,” according to the DA’s news release. “Navarro recruited gang members Lopez, Macias and Martinez to carry out the kidnapping and murder.” 

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