Chimayó man charged with attempted murder

Victim tells deputy he was confronted outside mother’s house, beaten

A Chimayó man is charged with attempted murder and other counts after he was accused of attacking another man in the community.

John J. Martinez, 48, is suspected of confronting Michael Coriz outside the home of Coriz’s deceased mother and severely beating him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed Monday in Rio Arriba County Magistrate Court.

Martinez’s dog also mauled Coriz during the incident, the affidavit alleges.

Along with attempted murder, Martinez faces counts of aggravated battery and tampering with evidence.

A Rio Arriba County deputy spoke with Coriz at Presbyterian Española Hospital, where he was being treated for his wounds early Saturday, the affidavit says. Coriz told the deputy he had stopped by his deceased mother’s property on County Road 101 to check on it, but had locked his keys in his vehicle.

He grabbed a pickax from the back of his truck and used it to try to pry open the door.

That’s when Martinez, who lives across the street, arrived and began yelling, accusing him of telling Martinez’s sister he was drug dealer, Coriz said.

As the two were arguing, Coriz told the deputy, Martinez’s dog started to attack him.

He said Martinez then began to punch him and wrested away the pickax.

Martinez hit him several times with the handle of the pickax and then struck him repeatedly with the handle of a garden tool lying nearby, Coriz said, according to the affidavit.

Martinez said he intended to kill him, Coriz claimed.

Meanwhile, Martinez’s dog continued biting him, he added.

Coriz called 911 to report the incident.

The affidavit indicates he was already at the hospital when deputies arrived at the home, where they found a pickax with a bloody handle.

Rio Arriba County jail records indicate Martinez was booked in the Tierra Amarilla facility Sunday evening and was still held there Tuesday.