Stamps man given life term for killing

11-time felon on parole at time of slaying

TEXARKANA — A Lafayette County man has received a life sentence plus 15 years in prison after being convicted of murder.

David McClendon, 33, of Stamps was found guilty last week at the end of a four-day trial in the killing of Ricardo Martin, 28, at Martin’s Stamps home July 15, 2016.

“I am very thankful to the jury for getting this 11-time convicted felon off the street for good,” Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Black said.

“Although he had been sentenced to 20 years plus an additional 10 years suspended some six years before this happened, because of the current state of parole, he was on the streets again,” Black said. “With a life sentence, we can guarantee no other family will have to go through what the Ricardo Martin family has gone through.”

There is no possibility of parole.

Martin was found dead in his home with gunshot wounds in his head and chest, according to a probable-cause affidavit. Two 9mm shell casings were discovered, and bloody footprints were observed throughout the living room, the affidavit said.

Witnesses who had seen McClendon at Martin’s house the day of the shooting pointed investigators in McClendon’s direction, the affidavit said.

Two Arkansas State Police special agents went to McClendon’s home, where they found his pickup in the rear of the property behind the house near a small burn pile, the affidavit said. They also reported finding wet clothing in a wooded area behind the residence.

While looking in McClendon’s truck, the agents noticed the driver’s side floorboard appeared wet and looked like it had been recently cleaned, the affidavit said.

McClendon’s wife told investigators that she had hidden a 9mm handgun in a closet to keep it away from McClendon, who she reported had fired the gun while he was “passed out,” according to the affidavit. She also reported that McClendon had fired the gun in the house several days before, it said.

Investigators collected shell casing and spent bullet from McClendon’s house to compare with evidence collected at the crime scene, authorities said.