Two men are accused of killing a U.S. Army veteran, Utah officials said.
In February 2022, Mario Alberto Carreto-Morales and Raul Jaimes Cortez met the victim, later identified as Cesar Martinez, for the first time at a parking lot in West Valley City, according to an April 25 news release by the Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill.
The duo asked Martinez for a ride to Cortez’s Magna apartment and Martinez agreed, officials said.
The three “spent some time” in the apartment’s parking lot before Carreto-Morales told Cortez he wanted to rob Martinez, prosecutors said.
Martinez, 37, had been drinking so the pair offered to drive him home, officials said. While driving in his truck, one of the men wrapped a metal wire around Martinez’s neck and stabbed him several times.
Martinez tried to escape by opening the car door, and one of the men pushed him out, officials said.
Martinez, who enjoyed hiking, running and sailing, was born in Los Angeles, California, according to his obituary. He served two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan as a Staff Sgt.
In March 2022, the two men also kidnapped and robbed another person in Park City, officials said. The victim was driven to an ATM and forced to withdraw money.
Carreto-Morales was sentenced to 15 years to life on a murder charge and 15 years to life for felony kidnapping, prosecutors said. The sentences will run consecutively.
Cortez has yet to be sentenced, officials said.
West Valley City is about a 10-mile drive southwest of Salt Lake City.
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