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Hiram Martinez was arrested near the intersection of Temple and School Street in connection with a double-shooting and homicide that happened on Saturday, June 24, Springfield Police report.
Police found two gunshot victims after responding to a ShotSpotter activation in front of 38 School Street around 9:20 p.m.
One victim, 34-year-old James Brown of Springfield, died from his injuries later that night. The other victim, an adult male, was treated at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time of this arrest Martinez, was out on bail for firearms and rape charges out of Chicopee, according to Springfield Police. Martinez had also been arrested and released twice while on bail.
Martinez also has a prior conviction for cocaine trafficking, police added. Officers found more than 40 grams of crack-cocaine and 50 bags of heroin in his possession during his arrest.
"This individual is the poster child of a repeat violent criminal offender who should not have been released. Now, because of the courts and some judges’ leniency, a life was cut short and a family grieving," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. "This sad and tragic event could have been avoided if the courts and some judges just did their job and hold and incarcerate these repeat violent criminal offenders.”
Martinez was charged with the following:
- Murder
- Assault & Battery with a Firearm
- Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License
- Discharging a Firearm with 500 feet of a Building
- Cocaine Trafficking 36-100 Grams
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug
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