Javier Lopez Martinez, Accused of Killing Man, Dumping Body by Church Due in Court October 10
RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A probationer accused of killing a man and dumping his body outside a Corona church must stand trial for first-degree murder and other offenses, a judge ruled last Thursday.
Javier Lopez Martinez, 47, of Corona allegedly took the life of Eduardo Jesus Cortez, also of Corona, in 2022.
Following a two-day preliminary hearing that concluded Thursday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sam Shouka found there was sufficient evidence to bound Martinez over for trial on the murder count, along with felony evading and a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Oct. 10 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Martinez is being held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
His co-defendant, 40-year-old Marena Nicolas, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to 24 months of mandatory supervision.
According to the Corona Police Department, the victim’s remains were discovered in the parking lot of the Corona Church of Christ in the 800 block of Sherman Avenue, near West Sixth Street, in the downtown area on the evening of Aug. 17, 2022.
The nature of the man’s injuries were not disclosed.
Homicide detectives initially had no leads, but in the ensuing days, they were able to confirm the vehicle allegedly involved in transporting the body and the two people inside it — Martinez and Nicolas — police said.
Late on the afternoon of Aug. 24, the car was spotted by patrol officers in the 1500 block of Via Santiago, prompting them to initiate a traffic stop. However, Martinez allegedly floored the sedan, leading to a brief pursuit until he plowed into vehicles parked in the 1200 block of West 10th Street, authorities said.
He bailed out of the car and tried to run away but was apprehended moments later, police alleged.
“Several occupants of the parked vehicles sustained minor injuries and were offered medical treatment, then released at the scene,” according to a police statement.
Nicolas was not in Martinez’s car. However, further investigation led to an apartment on Via de Luna, where she was taken into custody without incident.
The circumstances behind the killing and a possible motive were not disclosed.
Court records show Martinez has two prior misdemeanor convictions for driving under the influence. Nicolas had no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions.
For More Corona News Visit www.zapinin.com