________________________
________________________
SANTA ANA – A man was convicted today of murdering his father by shooting him after a dispute over keeping a firearm in their Huntington Beach home. Jeremy Dwayne Martin, 37, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death.
Martin faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison at his sentencing May 10, 2013, in Department C-42, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
In May 2011, Jeremy Martin was living in Huntington Beach with his 62-year-old father Frederick Martin. Early in the morning on May 20, 2011, Jeremy Martin got into a verbal and physical argument with his father because the victim was unhappy that Jeremy Martin was keeping a firearm in the home.
Frederick Martin called 911 and asked the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) to come to the home to “evaluate” his son. The victim made no mention of the firearm or physical altercation to the officers. HBPD officers responded to the home, but Jeremy Martin did not answer the door.
After the officers left, Jeremy Martin murdered the victim by shooting him one time. Frederick Martin died at the scene. Jeremy Martin called 911 and reported that he shot his father. He was arrested at the scene by HBPD.
During the trial, the defense argued that Jeremy Martin killed his father while in a methamphetamine-induced psychosis, and therefore could not form the intent to kill.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Sonia Balleste of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
