By Adriana M. Chávez
El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas — The 21-year-old man accused in the January stabbing deaths of a mother and daughter in East El Paso will himself face death at his jury trial.
Court records show prosecutors with the El Paso District Attorney’s Office have decided to seek the death penalty against Christian Alberto Martinez, who is suspected of stabbing Jovana and Amalia
Flores to death on Jan. 28 at their home in the 11500 block of Pratt.
Martinez’s attorney, Dolph Quijano, said he received notice of the state’s decision on Wednesday.
“I’m a little disappointed that they would seek the death penalty against someone so young and with so many psychological problems,” Quijano said. He declined to specify what psychological problems
Martinez has, but records show Martinez was ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam in May.
District Attorney Jaime Esparza declined comment, citing the pending case against Martinez.
According to Martinez’s arrest affidavit, Martinez had allegedly taken offense after Jovana Flores, 20, jogged past him as he was walking to his girlfriend’s home “a couple of blocks away.” He had earlier indicated to his girlfriend that he had been angry.
Martinez followed Flores inside her home uninvited, then attacked Jovana and her mother, Amalia Flores, 58, with a knife, police allege in the affidavit.
Afterward, Martinez rummaged through various property inside the home, then attempted suicide in Amalia Flores’ bedroom by cutting his arm, the affidavit states.
Martinez remains in the El Paso County Jail without bond. His trial has yet to be scheduled in the 384th District Court.
In September, Esparza confirmed he was also seeking the death penalty against Army Pfc. Michael Jackson Apodaca, 20, and Ruben Rodriguez-Dorado, 32.
They are both charged with capital murder in the May 2009 death of Jose Daniel Gonzalez-Galeana, 37, a midlevel member of the Juárez drug cartel who also worked as an informant for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The jury trials for Apodaca and Dorado are still pending.
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