Springdale man pleads guilty to murder charge, sentenced to 30 years

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Springdale man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including murder, according to court documents.

Uriel Martinez, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and second-degree battery. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 10 years suspended.

Martinez was arrested on May 6, 2022, after authorities with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office found him and another individual breaking into a residence in Benton County.

According to a probable cause report, witnesses said a man, later identified as Joseph Cueno, was found at a residence on Sonora Road in Springdale with a gunshot wound to his head, and Martinez was holding a rifle.

Martinez immediately fled in Cueno’s vehicle after the incident and later ditched it, the report said.

A deputy arrived at the Benton County residence. Martinez reportedly would not comply and yelled at the deputy to kill him. The deputy and homeowner of the residence had to physically fight Martinez to get him handcuffed, according to the report.

The other individual allegedly fled the scene while the homeowner and deputy restrained Martinez.

A live .223 caliber round was found in Martinez’s pocket, matching a spent shell casing and another live round that was found at the Sonora residence.

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