University Star

Copyright © The University Star 2013.

Arthur Martinez was stabbed at 704 Allen Street Feb. 3 and was pronounced dead at Central Texas Medical Center.

A Texas State softball player has been linked to an ongoing murder investigation, according to an affidavit and search warrants obtained from the San Marcos Police Department.

Sophomore shortstop Selena Hernandez lives in the duplex on 704 Allen St. where Arthur Martinez was stabbed at a party of about 300 people Feb. 3, according to the SMPD search warrant. Brelyn Sorrells allegedly stabbed Martinez after fights broke out among multiple people at the party. Martinez died of his wounds about an hour later, and Sorrells is now being held in jail.

The search warrant and arrest affidavit detail the events of the night, which include potential evidence tampering and making false reports to police officers. San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams said it is possible that charges could still be filed against those at the party or additional accusations could be brought to Sorrells. 

Two softball players were indefinitely suspended from the softball team Feb. 8 for “violating team rules,” according to Coach Ricci Woodard. Athletics officials would not confirm if Hernandez and sophomore outfielder Brittney Garcia, both 20, were the suspended players, but neither have played this year. Five other players were suspended Feb. 8 for that weekend and have returned to play.

Garcia was not named in the search warrant or arrest affidavit, and Williams could not confirm if she was involved in the incident. He said there was another roommate in the duplex living with Hernandez, but did not know his or her name or gender.

Athletic Director Larry Teis and Sports Information Director Rick Poulter declined to comment. Poulter referred back to their original statement, which said team members “did not break university or departmental policies. They had an issue between player and coach. So, (Woodard) made the decision to suspend them.”

Candace Risien, administrative assistant in President Denise Trauth’s office, said Trauth would not comment, deferring questions to Student Affairs. Vice President for Student Affairs Joanne Smith did not return calls by press time.

Police responded to a noise complaint they received around midnight and intercepted a blue Ford Escape driven by Martinez’ girlfriend, 19-year-old  Angel Herrera, according to the arrest affidavit. Police stopped the car because it was speeding away from the party.

Martinez and Adrian Shepard , who were both involved in fights at the party, were in the car. Martinez was bleeding from stab wounds in his torso, and Shepard was suffering from a “head laceration” from a blunt object, according to the search warrant. Police could not confirm whether anyone in the car was a Texas State student.

Martinez was transported to Central Texas Medical Center by Emergency Medical Services. Martinez was pronounced dead at 12:54 a.m., according to the search warrant for Sorrells’ Austin home.

Police called for backup after stopping the Ford Escape, according to the search warrant of the residence on Allen St. Officers found blood droplets on the pathway from the garage and smears on the doorframes, according to the SMPD search warrant.

Officers heard bottles “clanging” inside along with “bumping” and “thumping,” according to the search warrant. The police forced entry after knocks on the door and calls from dispatch went unanswered. According to the search warrant, officials forced entry out of concern that evidence was being destroyed or tampered with.

Police found blood had been cleaned from a chair in the living room and discovered broken glass around stains on the carpet. There were signs of struggle in the living room. Police could not rule out that the broken glass was used to stab Martinez, according to the search warrant.

Police took swabs of blood from the living room and chair.  Three sections of the living room carpet, an army knife stained with blood and a broken bottle among other items were taken from the house.

The search warrant said “numerous individuals” inside the house were uncooperative with police and seemed to be tampering with evidence by cleaning.

“If you’re cleaning up the crime scene before we arrive, that’s evidence tampering,” Williams said. “Whether they were doing that intentionally to cover something up or if they were doing that just to clean up a big mess is what you have to learn through the course of the investigation to try to determine.”

Witnesses at the party gave inconsistent statements about the event to police, according to a Feb. 6 press release from the City of San Marcos.

It is unclear what actions will be taken toward the Texas State softball players involved in the incident because administrators declined to comment.