STAFF REPORT
Police investigators arrested and charged an Austin man Feb. 6 for the murder of a 20-year-old man who was stabbed at a party Feb. 3 in San Marcos.
Arthur Martinez of Austin died shortly after 1 a.m. after being transported to Central Texas Medical Center with stab wounds.
Brelyn Javon Sorrells, 20, has been charged with first-degree felony murder in Martinez’s stabbing death. Police investigated the case as a homicide.
“This investigation was complex,” said San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams. “For the past four days all of our detectives worked on it… Good investigators are about quality, not speed.”
At around 12:30 a.m. Feb. 3, police were called out to 704 Allen Street in San Marcos for a reportedly loud party, where police estimated a crowd of about 300 party goers.
Williams said Sorrells and Martinez got into an altercation inside the residence and, in the course of the incident, Martinez was stabbed.
Police found the weapon allegedly used in the attack inside the party house and, eight hours later, executed a search warrant at Sorrells’ Austin home.
Further information developed as police conducted dozens of interviews to positively identify all parties involved, as well as the circumstances surrounding the alleged stabbing.
“There were many witnesses who gave inconsistent statements about the event, and people were tampering with the evidence and with witnesses,” Williams said. “I believe that our detectives did an exceptional job in detailing what happened that night. The investigation uncovered additional victims about whom we were not aware the night that it happened.”
Additional charges are anticipated.
Sorrells is being held at the Hays County Jail on a $750,000 bond. Martinez’s family has been notified of the arrest.
Sorrells was arrested at the San Marcos Police Headquarters after an interview.
