Martinez Handed 40-year Prison Sentence in 2022 Hammer Beating Death of Girlfriend

August 26, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The man who allegedly beat his girlfriend to death with a hammer almost two years ago was sentenced today (Monday) in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

36-year-old Simon Rodriguez Martinez, charged with first degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Yuri Guerra, entered a plea to the lesser offense of second-degree murder and received a 40-year sentence to serve at 100%. He was given jai credit of 704 days for time served from September 21, 2022 to August 26, 2024. Martinez was represented by Assistant Public Defender Allison West.

The murder of Guerra occurred at the couple’s trailer home at 620 South Mountain Street on September 21, 2022.

In October, 2022, a preliminary hearing was held in DeKalb County General Sessions Court.

The only witness to testify during that hearing was TBI special agent Brandon Davenport, who was summoned to the scene the morning of the killing. He was questioned by Assistant District Attorney General Greg Strong and Assistant Public Defender West about what the investigation revealed.

Martinez, who doesn’t speak English, sat quietly in the courtroom near the assistant public defender who represented him and an interpreter who was translating for him during Davenport’s testimony.

Davenport said he questioned Martinez after the killing, and he admitted getting into a domestic dispute with Guerra over allegations of infidelity. According to Davenport, Martinez claimed to have pushed Guerra down during the struggle and that she grabbed the hammer and struck him with it. Martinez claimed he then took the hammer away from Guerra and struck her once. Davenport said Martinez’s version of the story was not supported by the evidence in that the condition of Guerra’s body showed multiple blows to her head. After the killing, Martinez allegedly admitted to taking a shower and throwing away his bloody clothes. Three children were present in the home at the time of the killing and the oldest, a 14-year-old witnessed the attack and gave a statement to investigators. A blood-stained claw style hammer, believed to have been the murder weapon, was also recovered.

August 26, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Changing surfacing standards for new road construction in subdivisions?

The DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission will have a public hearing during its next regular monthly meeting on Monday, September 9 at 6 p.m. at the courthouse on whether to change the subdivision road standards by removing the tar and chip availability to contractors and requiring that only asphalt or concrete be the standard for road construction.

If approved by the planning commission, the new standards would only apply to new road construction. Roads in existing subdivisions or those over the last five years that has already received at least preliminary plat approval by the planning commission could not be held to the new standards. Those roads would be maintained in the manner they were constructed, tar and chip, etc.

Road Supervisor Danny Hale said by changing the standards, roads would be built better and hold up longer

“When a road is built it needs to be there for 25 or 30 years and that’s why we are changing to this hot mix requirement basically going from a two-inch-thick road to a five-inch-thick road so it should hold the weights and be there for many years to come. We’re just trying to save the county money over the long haul. The contractor would be required to do this and any new roads the county built would have to meet the same subdivision standards. We have a lot of tar and chip roads and we maintain those. Any subdivision built before then that are tarred and chipped we will maintain them the way they were put down. We’re trying to save the county in the long run of having to go back and maintain these roads after four or five years. With hot mix we shouldn’t have to touch them for 25 or 30 years and then all the county would be obligated to do, if its turned over to the county, is bushhog” said Road Supervisor Hale.

“We have been fortunate enough to hot mix a few roads that was tarred and chipped. An example, one of them was Whorton Springs Road. It was about 15 feet wide and tarred and chipped. That road connects two state roads (Highway 56 & 146). Its wasn’t a state aid road but I got it added because it connected two state highways. We widened it to 19 feet and we hot mixed it. That road is now a lot safer. Two big trucks can pass and that hot mixed road will be there for many years longer versus tar and chip,” said Road Supervisor Hale.

August 25, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Referendum or no referendum?

The DeKalb County Commission Monday night is expected to take a vote on a resolution to include a public referendum on the November 5, 2024 State and Federal General Election ballot asking voters whether the county should borrow up to $65 million to fund the eventual construction of a judicial center/jail.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Mike Foster Multipurpose Center/county complex

In June the county commission adopted an initial and detailed bond resolution not to exceed $65 million through issuance of General Obligation Bonds to build a judicial center/jail as well as a 51-cent property tax increase for debt service to fund it. Less than a month later a petition signed by more than 10% of registered voters protesting the move was submitted to and certified by the election commission clearing the way for a referendum subject to action by the county commission calling for a public vote.

During Thursday night’s committee of the whole meeting of the county commission, County Mayor Matt Adcock explained what a vote Monday night on the referendum resolution would mean.

“If you (county commission) vote in favor of the (referendum) resolution that means it does go to the ballot and people will have the opportunity to vote on whether we will be able to borrow the money or not. If you vote against this (referendum) resolution, that just kills it (bond resolution). That means it would not go on the ballot. Nobody would be able to vote on it and we would not be able to borrow the money,” said County Mayor Adcock.

While a referendum would gauge the public’s approval or disapproval of the issuance of bonds, it would not force a repeal of the 51-cent tax increase. The total county property tax levy for the year 2024-25 is now set at $2.51 per $100 of assessed value which is up from the tax levy of $2.00 per $100 of assessed value a year ago.

In addition to a possible referendum on the bond question for a jail/judicial center, local voters will get to decide whether or not the county should establish a $50 wheel tax in November.

In June, the county commission adopted an amended resolution to have a public referendum placed on the November 5 ballot for an up or down vote on a $50 wheel tax to support the debt service fund.

If approved by the voters, County Mayor Adcock said the revenue raised from the wheel tax would offset somewhat the 51-cent tax increase for debt service for the jail/judicial center and bring the property tax hike for debt service next year (2025-26) down from 51 cents to 33 cents.

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