PHOENIX — In a move that underscores Arizona’s commitment to justice for law‑enforcement officers, Attorney General Kris Mayes asked the Arizona Supreme Court on Nov. 6 to set an execution date of Jan. 27 for Ernesto Martinez. Martinez was convicted of killing Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper Bob Martin during a traffic stop on Aug. 15, 1995, along the Beeline Highway north of Shea Boulevard.
Background of the case
Martinez fled the scene and remained on the run for two days. During that time he killed a second person in California before being captured. He was tried and found guilty of Martin’s murder in 1997 and received a death sentence the following year.
Legal status
According to the filing, Martinez has exhausted all state and federal appeals. A post‑conviction notice filed in 2019 remains pending, but prosecutors argue that the notice does not block the issuance of an execution warrant. The state originally listed three possible Sundays in January 2027—Jan. 13, Jan. 20 and Jan. 27—as execution dates, later correcting the list to Jan. 27 alone.
Arizona’s death‑penalty landscape
Arizona currently houses 108 inmates on death row. The state has a long history of using capital punishment for the most heinous crimes, particularly those involving the murder of public servants. Supporters of the death penalty argue that it provides closure for victims’ families and serves as a deterrent against violent crime.
Reactions
While the filing is a straightforward legal request, it has drawn comments from various stakeholders. Criminal‑justice advocates who favor capital punishment view the request as a necessary step toward upholding the rule of law. Conversely, some civil‑rights groups have expressed concern about the irreversible nature of the death penalty, though they have not offered a formal objection to the specific petition.
What comes next
The Arizona Supreme Court will review the petition and decide whether to issue an execution warrant for Jan. 27. If granted, the state will proceed with the scheduled execution, marking the first use of the death penalty in Arizona since the last execution in 2022.
Arizona residents and the families of Trooper Martin will be watching closely as the court’s decision unfolds, reflecting the broader national conversation about the role of capital punishment in modern justice systems.
Original reporting: azfamily KTVK/KPHO Phoenix (news) — read the source article.
