Springdale man pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to 30 years in prison

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Springdale man was sentenced to 30 years in prison 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 assault and 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 the head, and Martinez was holding a rifle.

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

A police officer arrived at the Benton County residence. Martinez allegedly did not comply and shouted at the police officer to kill him. The officer and the owner of the residence had to physically struggle with Martinez to handcuff him, according to the report.

The other individual allegedly fled while the owner and his assistant subdued Martinez.

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

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