(Golden, CO – August 17, 2018) John Martinez, DOB: 1-22-94, appeared in the Jefferson County District Court on August 16 where he was sentenced to prison for 24 years in the shooting death of 16-year-old Zebulun Bacon.
Martinez was drinking and hanging out with Zebulun and another teen(15-years-old) during the evening of July 24, 2017 and into the early morning hours of July 25. The trio began drinking in Westminster, at the home of the 15YO teen. Later the trio drove to a house in Lakewood. Martinez and the teens continued "hanging out", drinking alcohol, and smoking pot. Martinez went into a back room and returned with a loaded gun. The trio were talking about the gun, "fooling around" with it, and handling it when Martinez raised the gun, pointed it at Zebulun, and shot him in the chest.
Following jury trial in June, Martinez was found guilty of Manslaughter (lesser included of second degree murder) (F4); Assault 1 (F3); and two counts of Contributing to the Delinquency Minor (F4).
