Waco Catfish Killing: Teen sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2021 killing of victim lured with fake social media account

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The last of four young men charged in the 2021 shooting death and robbery of a man who was lured to South Waco by a fake social media account was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday.

Cyle Flores, 18, joined Jeremiah Marquez, 18, Justin Angel Hernandez, 22, and Edgar Alfonso Castillo, 17, in pleading guilty to murder in the shooting death of 22-year-old Israel Martinez.

Marquez, Castillo and Flores were juveniles at the time of the offense and were certified to face the charges as adults. All four initially were charged with capital murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of murder in plea bargains with the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Susan Kelly of Waco’s 54th State District Court sentenced Flores to 25 years in prison Thursday. Previously, she sentenced Hernandez and Marquez to 35 years in prison, with Castillo receiving 30 years in prison.

The four defendants must be given credit for serving at least half of their prison terms before they can seek parole.

Martinez, an insulation company employee and the father of a young son, is the second from his family killed by gun violence at a young age. His sister and her baby were shot and killed in 2017.

As part of the plea deal with Flores, the DA’s office agreed not to prosecute him for a third-degree felony he was arrested for while free on bond in the murder case in which he is alleged to have assaulted his pregnant girlfriend in July.

Prosecutors Kristi DeCluitt and Rebeckah Lawson said in a joint statement they hope Flores’ guilty plea will bring the Martinez family “some semblance of peace and closure.”

“Each conviction in this case highlights gun violence will not be tolerated in our community, and our office will continue to target those who do harm, regardless of their age,” they said. “The three juveniles in this case were certified as adults. They committed, along with one adult defendant, a calculated social media scheme to lure the victim to rob him, and ultimately, take his life. Such violence will not be tolerated in our community, and we will continue seeking justice for victims.”

Waco police reported the teens conspired with Hernandez to use Facebook Messenger to lure Martinez to a home in the 2200 block of Gurley Avenue. Martinez was shot multiple times in front of the home, which had been broken into through a back window. Police reported finding spent shell casings from different types of firearms at the scene. Witnesses saw multiple people flee the scene.

Officers found Martinez’s wallet, cell phone and other items near his body, police said. After examining his phone, investigators said his Facebook account showed he had been communicating with a woman named Kaelani Moore on Facebook Messenger.

A photo that purported to be Moore’s was on the phone, along with a message telling Martinez to come to 2212 Gurley Ave., according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Detectives found the conversation Martinez was led to believe was with the woman came from Hernandez’s Facebook account, the affidavit alleges. Hernandez directed Martinez to send money to a money transfer application with the screen name “Kaelani M,” the reports state.

Waco police allege in the affidavit that the account associated with the email address on the Kaelani Moore Facebook account was used to “set up the murder victim.”

Officials believe Hernandez and Marquez fired the shots that killed Martinez.

Flores’ attorney, Abel Reyna, described the incident as “a very sad case all the way around.”

“From the standpoint of the victim and his family, we deeply regret the loss and sadness they continue to suffer,” Reyna said. “We pray that Cyle’s acceptance for his role in this tragedy helps bring some sort of closure that can allow the healing process to begin.

“From Cyle’s perspective, this case brings to harsh reality the lesson many of our parents taught us – “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future,’” Reyna said.

Martinez’s sister, 24-year-old Valarie Martinez, was found shot to death at Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir park along with her 1-year-old daughter, Azariah, in November 2017.

Christopher Paul Weiss was convicted of capital murder after a trial in Waco’s 19th State District Court and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

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