Heroin Trafficking Suspect Arrested In Beating Of 67-Year-Old Military Vet

Date Added: April 25, 2019 10:57 am

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

HEROIN TRAFFICKING SUSPECT ARRESTED IN BEATING OF 67-YEAR-OLD MILITARY VET

A heroin trafficking suspect who was already wanted by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is now behind bars on several additional charges after he beat a 67-year-old military veteran with a bamboo stick, knocked him unconscious and threatened to kill him.

Christian Martinez, 31 (DOB 4/5/1988), of Deltona, was wanted on a warrant for sale and delivery of heroin. On Wednesday, a detective responded to AdventHealth Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City to meet with a man who was admitted for treatment of fractures to his neck and back after a beating the previous day.

The victim told detectives he was at home on Gainsboro Street in Deltona with his roommate, a 42-year-old woman, around 10 a.m. Tuesday when Martinez showed up and got into an argument with the roommate. As the argument escalated, the victim stepped in to try and calm things down. Martinez picked up a large piece of bamboo and started to beat the victim, who was knocked unconscious.

When the victim regained consciousness, he said Martinez was standing over him holding a black semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine. The victim said Martinez told him he’d kill him if he reported the incident to law enforcement.

The victim went inside and laid in bed for a few hours before he got a ride to the hospital, where he was admitted under an alias Tuesday evening.

By Wednesday evening, members of VCSO’s Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team arrested Martinez at 1250 Fieldstone Ave. The homeowner advised he didn’t want Martinez staying there. In Martinez’s temporary bedroom at the house, detectives found about 11 grams of heroin, a Glock .40 caliber handgun, several .40 and .380 rounds, a high capacity .40 caliber magazine, some marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a scale and ledger. The Glock was reported stolen out of Pennsylvania.

As a result of the search at the house, in addition to his warrant for sale of heroin, Martinez was charged with armed trafficking in heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana under 20g.

For the beating on Tuesday, Martinez was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon and ammunition by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and intimidating/threatening a victim.

Martinez, a five-time convicted felon over the past three years, was released from state prison in 2018 after serving about one year for burglary. He remained in custody without bond today at the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Note to news media: The Sheriff’s Office is not releasing information identifying the victim in this case.