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Martinez Sentenced to 40 years
Martinez
Published: Aug 27, 2024, 7:09 PM

The man accused of killing his girlfriend with a hammer on September 21, 2022, was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court last Monday.

Simon Rodriguez Martinez, 36, who was charged with first-degree murder for the horrific crime that claimed the life of 39-year-old Yuri Guerra, pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of second-degree murder and received a 40-year sentence to serve at 100 percent. He was given jail credit of 704 days for time served from September 21, 2022 to August 26, 2024.

The crime was discovered at around 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, after Smithville Police say they received a call reporting a physical domestic at a home at 620 South Mountain Street. Police say the call came from a concerned relative of the victim in the case, who lives out of the area.

Once officers arrived at the home, they discovered the female victim, 39-year-old Yuri Guerra, with obvious physical trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Three children were present at the scene, ages 14, five, and five months, all of which were removed and taken into the custody of the Department of Children’s Services.

Martinez, allegedly admitted to attempting to clean up blood from the scene and to taking a shower before police arrived. Martinez also allegedly admitted to moving the hammer used in the killing, and throwing the clothes he had been wearing in the trash. Police say that Martinez also confessed to hitting Guerra with the hammer after an argument between the two.

TBI special agent Brandon Davenport, said he questioned Martinez after the killing, and he admitted getting into a domestic dispute with Guerra over allegations of infidelity. According to Davenport, Martinez claimed to have pushed Guerra down during the struggle and that she grabbed the hammer and struck him with it. Martinez claimed he then took the hammer away from Guerra and struck her once. Davenport said Martinez’s version of the story is not supported by the evidence in that the condition of Guerra’s body showed multiple blows to her head.

Three children were present in the home at the time of the killing and the oldest, a 14-year-old witnessed the attack and gave a statement to investigators. A blood-stained claw style hammer, believed to have been the murder weapon, was also recovered.
DeKalb Criminal Court held
Christopher Edward Spoon, Jr.
Christopher Edward Spoon, Jr.
Chris Tramel
Published: Mar 11, 2025, 10:58 PM

Several people were sentenced in DeKalb Criminal Court last week, including those under drug charges and tampering with evidence.

Zeb D. Pololu, 46, pled guilty to one count of simple possession of a schedule II substance and received 11 months and 29 days suspended to supervised probation, and a fine of $750 with judicial diversion.

On November 26, 2021, Pololu of Smithville Highway was charged with methamphetamine manufacture deliver sell or possess, driving on roadways lane for travel, and no insurance.

Sheriff Ray reported that a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a red Chevy minivan after noticing the vehicle cross the white dotted live several times. The deputy then made contact with Pololu. Upon a search of the vehicle, 2.13 grams of a crystal-like substance believed to be meth was found inside a baggy, inside a pocketbook. Also found in the vehicle was multiple baggies, and two scales, one of which had a white substance on it.

Christopher Edward Spoon Jr., 24, pled guilty to one count of possession of a schedule II drug methamphetamine under .5 grams and received a sentence of six years to serve 30 percent, with a $2,000 fine. The sentence is to run concurrent with two other cases, and he received 305 days jail credit.

On October 12, 2024, Spoon, of Sparta Highway, Smithville, was arrested for meth manufacture deliver sell or possess, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to Chief Deputy Brian Williams, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a red Chevy Impala. During a search of the vehicle, a pink polka-dotted bag and a black case were found under Spoon’s seat. Inside, a scale with residue, five straws with residue, four spoons with residue, two containers with residue, and multiple clear baggies with some containing a crystal-like residue, were found. Two clear baggies containing a crystal-like substance believed to be meth were found weighing 6.36 grams and .17 grams.

Krista Shanae Hodges, 42, pled guilty to tampering with evidence and received a sentence of three years all suspended to supervised probation, plus court costs. After two years, if she is in compliance, she will be moved to good behavior probation.

On October 18, 2023, Hodges of Sandstone Court, McMinnville, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, fabricating or tampering with evidence, and methamphetamine manufacture deliver sell or possess.

Detectives conducted a traffic stop on a black Chrysler 300 at Briarwood Subdivision for an obstructed registration plate. Detectives found Hodges as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. After speaking with Hodges, authorities say she voluntarily gave consent to search her vehicle. The search revealed three baggies of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamines weighing .51 grams, 1.23 grams, and .81 grams. One additional baggy with residue was found, along with a glass pipe with residue, and a black digital scale.

Hodges faces other charges for another incident. On September 18, a detective obtained a search warrant for two phones and a residence, resulting in a person being charged for drugs and felony weapons. While looking through evidence, on a Samsung Galaxy A03S, the phone shut down and performed a factory reset. All information on the phone was lost.