Jesse Martinez has been charged with murder, a hate crime enhancement, and elder abuse, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which reported that Martinez is scheduled to appear in Antelope Valley Court on Monday, Dec. 28.
The crime occurred around 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 17 at AV Hospital, where both men were being treated for COVID-19, the sheriff’s department reported.
“(The victim) was housed in a two-person room inside the hospital with the suspect, who was also there receiving treatment,” a sheriff’s department statement said. “The suspect became upset when the victim started to pray. He then struck the victim with an oxygen tank.”
The 82-year-old victim died the following day, sheriff’s officials said. His name has not yet been released pending next of kin notification.
Martinez was arrested on Dec. 17 and booked on suspicion of murder on Dec. 18, with bail set at $1 million, according to LASD inmate records.
The victim and suspect did not know one another, the sheriff’s department reported. The investigation is ongoing and no further information was immediately available.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
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Gail Busby says
Did this man (victim) have a name??? Ridiculous that in every piece I have found, no one even mentions the name of the victim.
David says
From what I heard, Jessie Martinez was angry his cousin got hit in the chest at a nursing home in the south land.
Hello says
What does that have to do with anything
F.B.I. says
It looks like a 20 million dollar law suit
Freda says
Martinez is mentally ill. He can’t be charged for a hate crime because he didn’t know what he was doing or saying.A reasonable minded person would never hit a person praying that abnormal behavior. Disability laws protect him from unjust convictions. The deputy was stating an unverified fact which is hear say. He should have been placed in a mental health room with covid care.
Mr. Marco says
Just how do you know that Martinez is mentally ill? Please elaborate.
God says
The hospital is going to learn from this mistake because it’s going to cost them 6 million dollars which is the out of court settlement they will pay the family of that 87 year old man. Trust me, they will start housing 5150 in isolated rooms that are locked. The Lord brings vengeance when the chest, ribs and back can not.
Be Fair says
Don’t forget to include SEIU in the lawsuit. They should share the blame as well.
KP says
The union was not the blame, they were only follow directives. The hospital and maybe the charge nurse.
Beecee says
Just one more unfortunate covid death for the books.
RIP
HE-MI says
This online news is lazy and fictisous dont even get the whole story.
The real info comes from the comment section
COVID Sucks says
Word gets out fast guys! I’m going to paraphrase what I heard:
Doc releases 5150 COVID patient from hold for unknown reasons; 5150 COVID patient kills roommate COVID patient. Regardless, sad ending for all.
Bob Dob says
What a horrible tragedy; This is the worst case scenario when we do not have modern, appropriate healthcare facilities to accommodate mental health patients, instead hospitals are forced to cohort patients with similar conditions in the same room, but in this COVID-19 era, not able to have a single occupancy room to house a mental health patient, because hospitals are filled to capacity… Last election, AV Hospital proposed to build a new state of the art hospital, and the taxpayers said no.
Loam says
I would love to know if the assailant had a criminal background. A person does not normally get upset and hit another patient in the head with an oxygen tank because he was praying.
Maybe the new DA will just blame it on COVID madness and drop all charges?
FAH*Q says
Ahahahahaha good 1.
No hate says
Loam…Usually it’s a man that goes into churches, synagogues, temples, etc. to murder those that pray. It’s just another avenue of hate that usually stems from another source in that man’s life. You see a lot of hate here, so who knows what the person posting is up to in his or her life.
Pray for Surf says
The victim was the same ethnicity as the perpetrator. Where does the hate crime charge come from?
AV Illegal says
As defined by the FBI, a hate crime is a violent or property crime – such as murder, arson, assault or vandalism – that is “motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”
Loam says
The police charged him with a religion-motivated hate crime from another source. It’s a crime to kill someone but it’s even more of a crime to kill someone because they are religious.
FAH*KIT says
Are you serious ? Wow !!! How the funk is it a hate crime ? Lol
KAY says
Also it’s a hate crime against elderly.
KP says
Hate crime against religion.
Me says
Freakin ignorant
AV'er in Idaho says
The new DA will let him off with a warning. After all… we are all going to die eventually. Pathetic!
Justwondering says
So he was there being treated for covid-19 and they arrest him.and take him to jail? Was he miraculously cured from covid-19 because he was arrested,or did they take him to jail covid positive?!
KP says
He was originally there on a 5151 hold. They found out he had covid when he got to the hospital. The nurses in the mental ward of the hospital do not do covid so he was placed on a regular floor. The hospital really effed up on this one. The perp was already arguing with the victim hours before he killed him. Because he was on a covid floor the doors were shut and no one was monitoring him. The hospital really effed up on this one and they should pay dearly. The perp will probably end up in a state hospital and will never see the inside of a prison