Man arrested in October death at Henderson apartment

By Jackie Valley

Published Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 | 1:08 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 | 3:39 p.m.

A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the October death of a Henderson man who was found beaten in an apartment bedroom stained with blood.

Paul Martinez, 28, was found dead inside an apartment in the 11000 block of S. Eastern Avenue on Oct. 17, according to the arrest report. The coroner ruled his death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest.

Henderson Police arrested Yuri Marcus in October, but he was later released. A criminal complaint charging Marcus with the murder of Martinez was then filed in January.

Marcus was booked Monday into the Clark County Detention Center on the murder charge and is being held on $100,000 bail, according to jail records. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23.

According to the arrest report, Martinez had been staying at the apartment with Joseph Grebanier, who was watching the apartment for friends who were getting married in Florida.

Marcus' disapproval of Martinez being in the couple's master bedroom sparked a fight between the two that allegedly led to Martinez pulling a knife and Marcus attacking him, police said.

Marcus told police that when Martinez dropped the knife after attempting to stab him, Marcus punched and elbowed Martinez in the face and then kicked him in the chin, according to the arrest report.

Afterward, Grebanier, who had been showering at the time, and Marcus left the apartment, police said. When they returned, Martinez was dead.

They left again, but Grebanier called police from his cell phone and reported Martinez was dead in the apartment, according to the arrest report. Police later found Grebanier walking his dog nearby.

Grebanier's conversation with detectives led police to Marcus, who told police about the alleged fight that led to Martinez's death.

Grebanier, 33, was arrested on suspicion of accessory to murder and booked at the Henderson Detention Center on Oct. 18. The case was later dropped due to lack of evidence, according to the District Attorney's Office.