Robert K. Martin was a 57-year-old male Arizona Department of Public Safety officer who was shot and killed on August 15, 1995. A veteran of the department for 28 years, he was a familiar presence on the Beeline Highway, a stretch of road near Fountain Hills that he had patrolled for 23 of those years. Known for his diligence, he was particularly strict with speeders and those driving under the influence on a highway that had a reputation for being treacherous. Having grown up near Saguaro Lake, patrolling the Beeline was like a homecoming for him.
The circumstances of the fatal encounter began with a traffic stop of a blue Monte Carlo. For reasons that remain unclear, the stop escalated, and Officer Martin was shot and left on the highway. His assailant then stole his service weapon and fled the state. A manhunt followed, leading to the suspect's capture in California two days later. Before he was apprehended, the suspect used Officer Martin's stolen gun to murder a convenience store clerk.
The suspect was identified as 19-year-old Ernesto Salgado Martinez. Following a trial, Martinez was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Officer Martin and was sentenced to death. He was also found guilty of two counts of theft and two counts of misconduct. In a separate trial in California, he was convicted of the murder of the convenience store clerk. As of recent reports, Martinez remains on death row in Arizona. Officer Martin, a devoted husband and father of six, was remembered as a pillar of his community. In his honor, a portion of the Beeline Highway is now named the Duthie-Martin Highway, and a monument stands at the site of his murder.
