WATSONVILLE — Luciano Acevedo of Watsonville has been convicted of second-degree murder as of Friday, December 9th, in a Santa Cruz County courtroom for the killing of Carlos Martinez. He faces a minimum of 55-to-life due to prior strikes.
In June of 2015, Acevedo went to an encampment on the Watsonville slough with two others with the intention of robbing Martinez’ girlfriend of the drugs they believed she possessed. As they walked, one of his accomplices — Tiffany Ball — picked up a two-by-four to use as a weapon.
After a verbal altercation, an armed Acevedo pistol-whipped Martinez across the back of the head and then pummeled him with both fists. Then, he shot Martinez in the side. The bullet traveled through his body and punctured both lungs and his heart.
Martinez died in his girlfriend’s arms at the scene. Acevedo fled, but local police agencies were able to track him to a motel room 8 days later.
Assistant D.A. Celia Rowland praised the Watsonville Police Department, saying “The jury worked very diligently and sifted through very divergent versions of events, and with their hard work, reached a just result. Mr. Acevedo was held accountable for the senseless act of taking Mr. Martinez’s life.”
