Martinez faces 20-year sentence

By Breyana Segura - Chief Staff Writer | February 25, 2026

Stabbed estranged wife 17 times

Charlie Martinez

A Pearsall man who stabbed his estranged wife 17 times has received the maximum 20-year prison sentence by Judge Russell Wilson.

Charlie Martinez, 38, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday, February 18, to aggravated assault of a family member with a weapon for the January 21, 2023 stabbing.

Records show the 33-year-old woman sustained 17 stab wounds to her torso, back, and head.

According to the district attorney’s office, the woman and their children, who were home during the brutal attack, told investigators they did not see or know who committed the crime.

“Despite that, our office continued to investigate and prepare the case,” District Attorney Audrey Louis said. “First Assistant Leslie Carranza ultimately secured a guilty plea and the maximum sentence, holding Martinez accountable for his actions.”

Investigating officers obtained several witness statements and video surveillance footage from surrounding neighbors that all led back to Martinez as the prime suspect in the case..

The investigation was a collaborative effort that involved local law enforcement, the San Antonio Police Department, the US Secret Service and the Texas Rangers investigating the case.

Frio County sheriff’s deputies arrested Martinez on July 15, 2025 on two felony warrants for aggravated assault of a family member with a weapon and possession of a controlled substance;

Martinez has since remained behind bars in lieu of $100,000 in bonds.

The victim gave an exclusive interview with the Frio-Nueces Current a year after the attack.

“He had been there hiding, waiting for me,” the woman said, recalling the chilling details of the night she was attacked by her estranged husband.

“I had been out with some friends,” the woman said. “They dropped me off at home; I told my son goodnight and went to my room. Then he was there, out of nowhere, and attacked me.”

She later learned Martinez had been hiding in the home for an hour awaiting her arrival.

“His phone connected to the WiFi and police were able to trace it,” she said. “My kids were home and they could hear me moaning, “You’re hurting me… Bro, you’re hurting me.”

The woman reported that she regained consciousness three hours after the attack to the sound of her alarm and realized she was covered in blood. Her hair and her entire body were soaked in blood, she said.

“I called 911 and then I dragged myself to the front door, but I collapsed and tried to pull myself back up using the couch and fell again,” the victim said. “The next thing I saw was the police officer coming in the side door.”

Transported to University Hospital in San Antonio and fighting for her life, the woman endured multiple surgeries on her back and brain.

“I have screws and rods now,” she said. “They took out my left blood artery and put coils in my brain and I will have to take baby aspirin every day for that. I even had to learn how to walk again.”

DA Louis noted that the case underscores ongoing challenges in addressing domestic violence in Texas and the importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts, swift prosecution, and community resources to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.

“This sentence shows how seriously we take violent crime,” Louis said. “Our office remains committed to protecting victims and keeping our community safe.”