Thursday
November 25, 2010
FLYING COUGARS
Connally faces Tyler John Tyler in area round
PAGE B1
El Rincon
donates to
victim’s
family
Photo by James Rincon
Mary Lou, Mariah and
Christina Martinez wear a
portrait of family member
Cynthia Martinez, shot to
death Saturday in Austin.
By James Rincon
Pflag Reporter
A Pflugerville restaurant
opened its doors Monday night
to the family of a former
Connally High School student
who was shot to death in north
Austin early Saturday morning.
The family and friends gath-
ered in El Rincon restaurant at
200 Pecan St. to remember 23-
year-old Cynthia Joann
Family picks up pieces after fire destroys mobile home
Martinez’s life and to raise
funds for her funeral services.
“She was coming home. She
was going to come spend the
night with me and go to my
niece’s party. All we talked
about was my niece,” Cynthia’s
sister, 16-year-old Christina
Martinez said.
Christina’s phone conversa-
tion with Cynthia the night of
the shooting was Cynthia’s last
contact with her family.
According to an arrest affi-
davit, Martinez’s boyfriend
Eric Munoz, left the scene of a
crash in the apartment complex
parking lot at around 10 p.m.
after hitting 20-year-old
Valentino Garcia’s Ford
Explorer.
Garcia followed Munoz from
the scene and struck Munoz’s
Buick before losing control of
the SUV and rolling it onto its
side, according to the affidavit.
Garcia told police he had
been the victim of a hit-and-run
and was trying to catch the
other driver, the affidavit said.
Later that night Garcia
returned to the apartment com-
plex where he confronted
Munoz, according to the affi-
davit, and he allegedly shot
Munoz and Martinez.
Garcia has been charged with
first-degree murder and is
being held on $750,000 bond.
Christina Martinez said
Cynthia moved out of the fam-
ily’s house six weeks ago to the
apartment where she was
killed.
“She wanted to live on her
own I guess. She wanted to
grow up. I kept telling her to
come back,” said the younger
sister.
See Martinez, A5
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• City ditches pond plans • Volleyball awards Thanksgiving meals delivered
• Feature: Hanover’s • Veterans Day photos PAGE A5
‘I want to ... move
forward with my life’
By James Rincon
Graves home for
holidays after 18
Pflag Reporter
former death row prisoner received donations in
years innocent
on death row
A Pflugerville on Saturday after his Oct. 27 exon-
eration from multiple murder charges that had-
him awaiting execution for 18 years.
The Texas Moratorium worst misconduct by a pros-
Network presented ecutor that the current pros-
exoneree Anthony Graves ecutors have ever seen.”
with $3,000 raised by its Other capital cases have
members to help support his been overturned by DNA
transition back to freedom. evidence, but Cobb said
“What I want to do is DNA evidence only plays a
move forward with my role for 10 percent of the
life,” Graves said. “I just state’s death row exonorees.
want to go out and make a “As soon as we heard
difference. I want to be a about Anthony’s release on
part of a solution to a plagu- Oct. 27, we asked our mem-
ing problem in our criminal ber [approximately 20,000
justice system.” members] if there’s any-
Graves was convicted for thing that they wanted to do
the murder of six people in to help,” Cobb said.
Sommerville who were Base funds are often an
bludgeoned to death. essential need of death
Scott Cobb of the TMN row exonorees when they
said Graves fell victim to are fresh out of prison,
gross prosecutorial mis- Cobb said.
conduct. “We called up his lawyer
Photo by James Rincon “The current prosecutors and she said he may be able
Anthony Graves accepts $3,000 are saying that the reason he to get some compensation
in donations from Texas was wrongfully convicted from the state, but it’s going Photo by James Rincon
Moratorium Network President and sentenced to death was to take a long time and there Anthony Graves stands outside his sister’s house in
Scott Cobb on Saturday in the prosecutorial miscon- Pflugerville Saturday after his Oct. 27 exoneration
Pflugerville. duct,” Cobb said. “The See Graves, A2 from charges that had him on death row for 18 years.
By James Rincon by the blaze.
Pflag Reporter Xonthe was asleep in the
mobile home, along with her
Area residents who lost their five younger brothers and four
mobile home to an electrical fire adults. Firefighters said the
Nov. 16 have spent the week dwelling did not have any smoke
rummaging through the charred detectors.
wreckage looking to salvage “Fortunately, everyone got out
some belongings. in time with no injuries,” PFD
Pflugerville firefighters res- Lt. Tim Wallace said. “The
ponded to the fire in the 13000 investigation team has found an
block of Tophill Circle off of area of origin but is still looking
Immanuel Road just south of the into the cause.”
city, but could not quench the Xonthe said her mother woke
flames before the house, an adja- up her father and his two friends
cent building and most of the while she woke up her brothers.
items in them were consumed. “My mom woke me up and I
“My mom woke up and she had to wake up my brothers,”
smelled smoke. She went to the Xonthe said. “When we started
kitchen and she saw fire outside. going outside there was all this
She went outside, and she was smoke… My dad’s friend called
going to turn the water hose on, the fire truck to come to try to
but it was too hot and the fire put the fire out, and when they Photo by James Rincon
was already there,” said 12-year- put it out, everything was gone.” Angel, Leonardo, Yuridiana and Geancarlos Xonthe and Delia Morales sift through
old Yuridiana Xonthe, the oldest what’s left of their home Friday on the 13000 block of Tophill Circle. Electric wiring
of the six children left homeless See Fire, A5 is believed to be the cause of the fire that left 10 residents homeless.
Pfest crafters linked by love Rhythm section
of hobby, knack for recycling
By James Rincon Elementary School.
She said educators taking a break in the
Pflag Reporter
school teacher’s lounge might catch a
glimpse of one of her colorful creations
Hobbyists of all experience levels and
crafts filled the Pflugerville Recreation before the school breaks for the winter.
Beverly Gilbert said she’s been a crafter
Center Saturday for this year’s Pfall Pfest.
Jean Rutledge started crafting over the as far back as she can remember. Her
tables were spilling over with more than
summer, using her background of more
than 40 years sewing experience, she 150 seasonal knickknacks that virtually
turned her corner of the recreation center
churned out a cornucopia of appliqué wall
hangings with scenes of the season from into a winter wonderland.
Garlands, poinsettias and handmade
falling leaves to turkeys, Christmas lights
and snowmen. ornaments speckled and spiraled around Photo by Pat McCord
miniature Christmas trees so ornate they
“I just love doing it. It’s the way I relax,” Members of the Connally High School Band dance during
Rutledge said. might make Charlie Brown blush. the Cougars’ playoff game in Waco last weekend. See
When she’s not cutting and sewing, SPORTS for more information on the game.
Rutledge substitute teaches at Caldwell See Pfall Pfest, A5
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