Two murder suspects arrested after Troy officer spots their vehicle on I-35

“We received word from Texas DPS (Department of Public Safety) to be on the lookout for the suspects in a certain vehicle,” Gary O. Smith, Troy city administrator and police chief, said Monday. “Within seconds, an officer spotted the car they were in.”

The suspects tried to evade the Troy officer by crossing several lanes of I-35 to reach an exit.

However, the Troy officer continued to follow and initiated a traffic stop, but waited for other officers to arrive before confronting the suspects, Smith said.

Both suspects were arrested without incident, Smith said.

Stafford, charged with murder, was held Monday in the Bell County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond.

Martinez, a Kingswood resident, faces four felony charges: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; hindering apprehension or persecution of a known felon; driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years; abandoning/endangering a child. She also faces a Class A misdemeanor charge of failure to report a felony or death. Her bonds total $35,000, jail records showed.

Both suspects were wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of James Lucas, 44, on Sept. 20 in Corpus Christi. Lucas was found in the 4100 block of Ayers Street and later died at a local hospital.

In addition to efforts by Troy Police and DPS, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force and the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division also worked to locate the suspects.

The pair will be extradited to Nueces County, officials said.