Gang violence lamented at sentencing in teen’s death

Kim Smith

Friday, July 27, 2001 | 10:49 a.m.

Alma Martinez had one question for District Judge Mark Gibbons.

"Why are people so bad?" Martinez sobbed.

Martinez appeared Wednesday before Gibbons during the sentencing hearing for Miguel Jimenez-Arambula, one of four young people accused of gunning down her 16-year-old daughter, Esmeralda Martinez, on Jan. 20.

Jimenez-Arambula, 23, received a sentence of two to eight years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $4,100 in restitution to the girl's family.

"I'm asking for justice for her. They killed an innocent girl, a good girl," Martinez said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter. "She didn't kill anyone."

Martinez said Jimenez-Arambula, 23, Isvi Fabila, 17, Eduardo Cisneros, 16, and Richard Macias, 18, killed her daughter because she refused to join their gang.

Police say Fabila knocked on Martinez's front door while Cisneros and Macias, who was carrying a 9 mm handgun, remained on her driveway.

Esmeralda Martinez answered the door, the girls argued, and gunfire erupted. A bullet hit Esmeralda Martinez in the chest, killing her instantly.

Police believe the suspects left but returned so Fabila could get out of the car and fire another shot at Martinez's house.

A police officer who was nearby heard the shots, saw the suspects' vehicle leave the Martinez home and pulled it over near Vegas Drive and Tonopah Avenue, police said. The 9 mm gun found in the vehicle had been reported stolen in December.

All fourth youths were charged with murder, but Jimenez-Arambula pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit murder and accessory to murder. He also agreed to testify against the other three, who are scheduled for trial Nov. 5.

Jimenez-Arambula, who also spoke through an interpreter, apologized to Martinez.

"I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't know it was going to happen. If I had known, I would've been in some other place," Jimenez-Arambula said.

Deputy Public Defender Howard Brooks, who represents Jimenez-Arambula, told Gibbons that although his client never got out of the car, he loaded the gun for Macias when Macias handed it to him. Brooks said Jimenez-Arambula also knew the group was going to Martinez's house to confront her about insults she had made.

Gibbons said he just doesn't understand the gang violence that has been occurring with all too much frequency of late.

"It makes no sense to me," Gibbons said.