Arizona man sentenced for killing 6-year-old child

PHOENIX — A Tucson man was sentenced to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release for killing a 6-year-old child in a bathtub in 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Thursday.

Pablo Martinez Jr., 36, pleaded guilty to second degree murder on April 15, 2024.

Authorities said Martinez held the victim’s face under a running faucet for 5-10 minutes while giving the child a bath on Sept. 26, 2019.

The victim, a Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe member, died of liquid thermal burns caused by inhaled water.

The case was investigated by the FBI and Pascua Yaqui Police Department. United States District Judge Scott H. Rash handled the sentencing.

Related

Arizona man pleads guilty to murder after holding child's face under running bathtub faucetU.S. marshals arrest Los Angeles murder suspect in ChandlerBorder Patrol Agent sentenced for defrauding SNAP, WIC programsMan found guilty of attempted murder in 2021 shooting of Phoenix police officer Tyler MoldovanDining hall workers suing ASU over First Amendment right to protest working conditionsArizona gas prices rising again, per AAA weekly fuel report