Texas teen murder suspect, Christian Martinez, blows kisses in court after arrest in Osvaldo Casas shooting
An alleged teen stalker and murder suspect blew kisses inside a Texas courtroom as a judge raised his bond to $2 million for the alleged killing of the stepfather of a 16-year-old girl he had been creeping on.
Christian Martinez pursed his lips towards the gallery of a Houston courtroom during his first court appearance following the fatal shooting of Osvaldo Casas on Aug. 10.
The 17-year-old is accused of gunning down Casas, 37, who had confronted the teen outside his home in the Meadowbrook/Allendale neighborhood, 11 miles southwest of Downtown Houston, according to police.
The husband and father of two went outside just before 12:30 a.m. after being tipped off by a neighbor about a suspicious car on their street.
The family had been on high alert after their car was vandalized the night before, according to KPRC.
Casas was shot multiple times as he confronted the vehicle.
He was left to die outside in the arms of his eight-month pregnant wife, KHOU reported.
Martinez was nabbed by the US Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force on Oct. 17.
He was charged with first-degree murder and booked into the Harris County Jail, police said.
“I know the arrest isn’t going to bring him back, but I’m happy he was arrested,” Casas’ wife Judith Molina told the outlet.
Martinez allegedly had briefly dated Casas’ stepdaughter, but the relationship was ended by the girl after he assaulted and “unlawfully restrained her,” the charges alleged.
A probable cause court judge read Martinez’s charges last week, despite the teen not being in attendance.
“The allegations are that the 17-year-old defendant, briefly dated the, complaining witness is, 16-year-old daughter,” said the judge, according to KHOU. “The daughter stopped seeing this defendant after the defendant assaulted and unlawfully restrained her. The defendant repeatedly called the daughter until she, blocked, the defendant’s, phone number.”
Molina denied that her daughter ever dated Martinez.
“He was just mad that he that she didn’t want to date him. That she wanted to do nothing with him,” Molina said. “So, he was stalking her, stalking our house for days. Which I didn’t know about.”
“I hope he gets what he deserves. Life in prison. He took a life. His life should be for the rest of his life in prison. He shouldn’t be let out,” he said.
The couple’s son was born days after Casa’s funeral.
Casa’s grieving family revealed they were “not at peace,” but has faith in the judge.
“I’m not at peace but I believe the judge is going to do right. … He’s guilty,” Casas’ mother said.
Before Martinez’s off-color gesture to the courtroom, a judge raised his bond from the original $200,000 to $2 million.
Family members of both Martinez and Casas were inside the courtroom.
It wasn’t clear who the air kisses were directed towards.
