Teen Gets Max in Homeless Man’s Murder

ABILENE, Texas (AP) _ An Abilene teenager has been sentenced to life in prison for beating a homeless man to death in a trash bin.

Michael Martinez Jr. was tried as an adult in the 2007 death of 48-year-old Eric McMahon.

Martinez, 16, received the maximum sentence Wednesday and will be eligible for parole in 30 years.

During the trial, Martinez testified that he was drunk and had left a party when he saw the homeless man in a trash container. He said another unknown man with a gun told him to get inside the bin, and kick and throw brick pieces at the homeless man.

But his confession to police does not mention the unknown man with a gun. And a witness testified that Martinez, who was then 15, laughed as he kicked and hit McMahon.

More News