Suspect arrested in weekend murder of Madison woman
Martinez at scene of recent shooting in FC when truck’s passenger killed
A suspect has been arrested in the murder of an elderly woman over the weekend near Madison.
Deputies with the St. Francis County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday afternoon arrested Nathaniel Martinez, 20, of Colt, in connection with the death of Virginia Luker, 75, who lived in the St. Francis Heights area.
Martinez is charged with capital murder and first-degree terroristic threatening.
St. Francis County Sheriff Bobby May said additional charges may also be filed against Martinez.
“We’re going to put another charge on him for attempted murder in direct relation to this case because he went to that house with the intent to kill everyone, but Mrs. Luker was the only one there,” he said.
May said Luker’s murder is believed to have stemmed from problems between her grandson and Martinez over a female with whom each had reportedly had a relationship.
“He went there specifically looking for him, but he was going to kill everyone in the family,” said May, adding that officers have recovered text messages from Martinez’s phone where he allegedly made threats toward the family.
Martinez was driving a 1997 Chevrolet pickup last week when a passenger inside the truck was shot and killed, according to a report at the Forrest City Police Department.
Steidman Smith, 27, was shot in the head while sitting inside the pickup at the apartment complex located at 790 S. Washington St., in Forrest City, which officers refer to as the “No Name Apartments.”
At that time, FCPD Chief Deon Lee said investigators believed that shooting stemmed from a domestic situation in which Smith was not believed to have been involved. Lee said Smith was riding in the vehicle with Martinez who had been arguing earlier in the day with his girlfriend who lives at the apartment complex.
Before the murder, Martinez reportedly drove away from the complex, only to return a short time later with “some buddies” in his truck. Officers believe someone either came from behind the apartment complex or a nearby house and started shooting at the truck. One bullet reportedly went through the truck’s back glass, striking Smith in the back of the head. Police found eight 9mm shell casings at the scene.
After that shooting, Martinez drove from the apartments to nearby East St. Andrews Street where police and first responders were called. When they arrived, Martinez was holding the injured Smith. Martinez and others were reportedly interviewed by police after that shooting.
Luker’s murder is believed to have stemmed from this ongoing domestic dispute, according to police.
May said investigators believe Luker was murdered before midnight Saturday.
“We’re thinking it occurred somewhere between 10 and 11 p.m.,” said May, adding that after the murder, Martinez reportedly went to a friend’s house where he
(Continued from Page 1) “bragged to him about how he shot this woman three times in the face.”
Martinez was arrested without incident during a traffic stop near the intersection of Division and Broadway streets about 1 p.m., Tuesday.
“He was a suspect early on in our investigation and we had been watching him,” said May. “We waited until he got into a vehicle and then we made a traffic stop.”
May praised the officers in his criminal investigation division for their work on the case that led to the arrest of Martinez.
“I’ve got the best CID department in the state,” said May. “I want to compliment these guys because they worked around the clock on this case. When you’re working a homicide, every hour counts. Cold cases are harder to solve and my guys know this, but they got him. I’m very grateful to my guys. They worked hard and put in a lot of long hours on this case.”
Martinez is currently on probation.
In May last year, he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance for which he was sentenced to five years probation. Charges of discharging a firearm in the city limits, no driver’s license and carrying a weapon were nolle prosequi.
At that time, he was accused of shooting out of a vehicle at a subject walking near the South Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive intersection on July 25, 2020.
During that investigation, officers found marijuana and a 9mm handgun, that was still warm to the touch, inside Martinez’s vehicle when he was arrested.
Lee said the FCPD is continuing its investigation into Smith’s death.
May said Martinez would be arraigned today in St. Francis County District Court where a bond could be set.
“I’m really hoping there is no bond for this guy,” added May.