Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rogers man gets 12 years in prison for helping dispose of body
BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man was sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting to his role in aiding another man in disposing a body.
Luis Guillermo Rodriguez-Martinez, 26, pleaded guilty Thursday to hindering apprehension, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and battery.
The case is in connection with the death of 25-yearold Kevin Gonzalez, whose skeletal remains were found March 27, 2020, near Decatur. Gonzalez had been reported missing to Decatur police. He was last seen April 12, 2019, according to court documents.
Karla Benitez- Cruz reported April 15, 2019, she had gone a few days earlier to an apartment with Gonzalez, who went in to take care of money he owed Wilson Figueroa-Matos, according to an affidavit. She said she heard a gunshot and went to the door. Denis Vega, Figueroa-Mat o s ’ roommate, told her everyone had left through the back door, but she knew there were no back doors, according to the affidavit.
Police went to the apartment, and Vega gave officers permission to look around to ensure no one was hurt, the affidavit states.
Rodriguez-Martinez told detectives he was in an apartment when Figueroa-Matos shot Gonzalez once in the head, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Rodriguez-Martinez said he, Vega and Figueroa-Matos put Gonzalez’s body in a car trunk, and he and Figueroa-Matos drove on dirt roads for more than an hour, then dumped the body and covered it with an air mattress, the affidavit states.
Figueroa- Matos, 41, of Fayetteville is charged with capital murder and abuse of corpse. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. His case hasn’t been resolved.
Rodriguez-Martinez admitted his guilt at Thursday’s hearing before Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green.
Green was speaking with Rodriguez-Martinez about his constitutional rights when he interrupted her to say he’s guilty of the charges.
The battery charge stems from an incident RodriguezMartinez had with a deputy in the Benton County Jail.
Some of Gonzalez’s family members were present in court. Rodriguez-Martinez appeared by video from the jail.
Thomas Gean, deputy prosecutor, read victim impact statements on behalf of two family members and Gonzalez’s girlfriend.
Jennifer Gonzalez said her brother’s death shattered her family.
“Kevin was ripped from our lives,” Gean read. “He didn’t deserve this nor would anyone on this planet. Kevin was loved.”
Maria Saravia, Gonzalez’s mother, said the day her son went missing was the most painful day of her life. She said in her statement her son should still be here with his family.
“The pain and suffering will never leave me, and I will forever live in this nightmare,” Gean read from Saravia’s statement. “I now live everyday asking God to give me the strength to learn to live with this pain.”
Kenia Melendez, Gonzalez’s girlfriend and the mother of Gonzalez’s now 6-yearold son, said she searched for hours after Gonzalez went missing and even feared he had abandoned her and their son.
“It isn’t fair for a 6-year-old boy to question where his dad is or why his daddy isn’t here to watch our Christmas tree during the holidays,” Gean read from her letter. “My son is the exact image of his father. If my heart hurts the way it does, I cannot imagine how painful this is for Kevin’s family.”
Green sentenced Rodriguez-Martinez to 12 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. She told Rodriguez-Martinez some of Gonzalez’s family members were present in court. She gave him the opportunity to respond to the family.
Rodriguez-Martinez said he met Gonzalez for the first time on the day of his death. He asked the family for forgiveness.
“I’m not the type of person to avoid the law and consequences.”