Judge Overturns Murder Conviction After New Pneumonia Evidence Emerges
A Denver judge has thrown out the first-degree murder conviction of a man found guilty in the death of his girlfriend's 4-month-old daughter nearly 30 years ago, citing new evidence that the baby died of pneumonia. Stephen Martinez, convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison, was ordered released after prosecutors concluded they could not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
New Medical Evidence Changes Case Outcome
Recently presented defense evidence indicated that Heather Mares, the infant, died from pneumonia in 1998, not from abuse as originally argued. This prompted the Denver District Attorney's Office to reexamine the case and not oppose a request from Martinez's lawyers at the Korey Wise Innocent Project to overturn his conviction. District Court Judge Andrew Luxen overturned the conviction, ordered Martinez's release, and dismissed the case.
Family Opposition and Emotional Reactions
The decision was made over the objections of Mares' family, including her parents Kim Estrada and Chris Mares, who believe Martinez killed the baby and noted he has not expressed remorse. Estrada, sobbing after the ruling, stated, "My life was stopped 27 years ago along with our family's." In contrast, Martinez's aunt, Theresa Garcia, expressed relief, saying his deceased parents would be "smiling as their son returns home."
Legal Context and Systemic Failures
Martinez was prosecuted under a then-new state statute allowing first-degree murder charges instead of lesser child abuse charges. His lawyer, Jeanne Segil, called the case "a tragedy on every front," highlighting failures in the criminal justice system for both Martinez and the victim's family. Martinez declined to speak during the hearing, which marks a significant turn in a decades-long legal battle.
