Porterville Man Arraigned on Murder Charges

A Tulare County man was arraigned today on murder charges in Visalia.

Jarod Martinez, age 19, is charged with the stabbing murder of a man in Porterville on March 18, 2020. The murder charge is enhanced with special allegations of use of a deadly weapon, that the crime was committed when Martinez was out of custody while on bail/own recognizance, and that he attempted to use a deadly weapon. The Office of the District Attorney filed the charges on March 20, 2020. His arraignment was continued to today after he refused to be arraigned via video at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility earlier in the week.

A preliminary hearing setting has been scheduled for April 27, 2020, at the South County Justice Center in Porterville.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Robert Dempsie (559) 636-5494