‘He loved you.’ Prosser man killed older brother in fight over $300

A Prosser man apologized this week for killing a father of four — his older brother.

Two years ago the brothers were arguing about a $300 debt.

This week, Alejandro Martinez is heading to a Washington state prison for the murder.

“Sorry, I never meant to stab him,” Alejandro Martinez told Brandy Flores, interrupting her in court as she talked about the death of her children’s father.

Alejandro Martinez stabbed Oscar Martinez several times in his chest and upper back, then drove him to Prosser Memorial Hospital to get help.

But the 25-year-old was already dead..

Alejandro, then 21, initially told detectives that an assailant attacked his brother and ran off. He later changed his story to say it was an unknown drug dealer.

But this week, he took responsibility for the death and pleaded guilty in Benton County Superior Court to second-degree murder.

“Hopefully God can forgive me one day, and I pray that one day (Brandy) will be able to forgive me,” Alejandro, now 23, said in court. “I loved him with all my heart and so it hurts me as well.”

Troubled by recommendation

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys recommended a sentence of 10 years and three months, at the bottom of the standard range.

They said it took into consideration his age and the fact Alejandro had no criminal convictions before this case.

Judge Alex Ekstrom, though, said he was troubled by that recommendation because “it simply seems to not adequately reflect Mr. Martinez’s actions.”

He acknowledged that no amount of time will bring back Oscar Martinez to his loved ones or absolve the killer of his responsibility, but said he felt it more appropriate to order 12 years for Alejandro Martinez.

The judge also made it clear he did not believe the killing was done in self-defense, noting the stab wounds on both the front and back of Oscar’s body.

In one of his multiple versions of what happened on Jan. 9, 2020 — after admitting that he had stabbed his brother — Alejandro Martinez told detectives that Oscar must have fallen on top of the knife to get the wounds on his back.

On Wednesday, defense attorney Michael Vander Sys told the court that it may have started with Alejandro defending himself, but their own analysis of the forensic evidence shows their client “quite simply went too far (and) absolutely exceeded the use of force necessary.”

“He was not in his right mind that night. He very clearly was under the influence of narcotics, possibly multiple, which affected judgment and perception of events,” said Vander Sys.

Asked to pay up

The lawyer said his client wanted the judge to know he had a profound love for his brother, and regrets deeply what happened.

“He knows an apology today is mostly inadequate for the taking of life,” said Vander Sys.

The brothers physically fought over the debt that day, with Oscar asking Alejandro to pay up.

Oscar then went home with his best friend and housemate, Miguel A. Rocha. But the arguing didn’t stop.

The brothers continued to exchange texts and Snapchat messages about the money. At one point, Alejandro said he would kill Oscar if he came to his Prosser mobile home, according to court documents.

Oscar told this friend he needed to know what his brother’s issue was so, in spite of the warning, he made the 15-minute drive back to Alejandro’s.

Rocha, who rode with Oscar, stayed inside the SUV and saw Alejandro on the front porch, armed with two kitchen knives, documents said.

‘Ridiculous and senseless’

Oscar had barely stepped onto the porch when Alejandro attacked him. He then fell to the ground.

Rocha, who initially thought Alejandro was just punching his friend, ran to help. He got Alejandro off Oscar and saw the younger brother drop the knife, court documents said.

Rocha loaded Oscar back into the SUV and Alejandro drove them to the hospital just before midnight, documents said.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts called it a tragic and senseless murder, saying the description applies to this case “when you think about the number of children who lost their dad on this date and how ridiculous and senseless this argument was over.”

Flores was pregnant with her and Oscar’s fourth child when he was killed.

She told Alejandro on Wednesday that she cannot forgive him, even though she knows her late partner would have by now.

“You know he loved you. I know it hurts you,” she said while sobbing.

“That was over something petty, and obviously drugs were involved,’ she said.

“Hopefully you’ll grow up and learn from this and take actions, Alex, instead of always blaming your mom. Because we’re never going to see Oscar again, and you know how much he meant to all of us.”

This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 5:00 AM.