Man Sentenced to Life for the Tragic Death of His Pregnant Wife in El Monte
Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing Pregnant Wife
A man who fatally shot his pregnant wife and her unborn child in El Monte in 2018 was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Octavio Curiel Martinez, 43, was convicted in October of murder related to the August 29 incident that claimed the life of Ana Maria Nunez, who was six months pregnant at the time.
In addition to the murder conviction, jurors found Martinez guilty of multiple special circumstances, including the allegations of multiple murders and the use and discharge of a handgun. The jury, comprised of seven men and five women, also convicted him of attempted murder of his father, shooting at an occupied dwelling, and various counts of assault and child endangerment involving his children and stepson.
During the prosecution’s closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Meghan Tallent presented a disturbing account of the crime. She stated that Martinez "very effectively shot and killed" his wife with two shots to the back, also intending to kill the unborn child as he left Nunez for dead. Tallent revealed that Martinez believed the pregnancy resulted from a suspected affair between his wife and his father, although the allegations were denied by both parties during the trial.
Tallent noted the absence of any signs of struggle during the shooting. She recounted that following the incident, Martinez went to his parents’ home and fired shots at his father, who escaped unharmed.
The prosecution highlighted a troubling history of domestic violence, noting earlier attacks on Nunez in December 2016 and December 2017, including one incident that left her unconscious while their children were present. Additionally, Martinez had previously shot at his father’s vehicle days before the killing.
Martinez fled to Mexico after the shooting but was apprehended by Mexican authorities in March 2019. He was later extradited to Los Angeles County to face charges and has been in custody since.
Outside the courtroom, Deputy District Attorney Samantha Gomez emphasized that no other family members supported Martinez’s claims about an affair with his father, as both the father and Nunez had denied such allegations in testimony.
Defense attorney Harvey Sherman contended that the evidence did not support a first-degree murder conviction, suggesting that Martinez’s actions were not premeditated. He pointed to his client’s history of methamphetamine use, arguing that it contributed to erratic behavior leading up to the crime.
Sherman described the tragic event as "horrific" but insisted that the defense was not seeking to justify the actions taken by Martinez.
