Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the conviction of Antonio Martinez for stabbing to death a fellow guest at a 2019 celebration of a baby’s christening in Corona.  Martinez argued with the victim before repeatedly stabbing him in the chest.

District Attorney Katz said: “From celebrating a life, to mourning a death, this violent attack was as senseless as it was brutal. The defendant is being held to account and faces life in prison.”

Martinez, 50, of 98^th Street in Corona, Queens, was convicted yesterday of murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree before Queens Criminal Court Judge Cassandra Mullen. Judge Mullen indicated that she would sentence the defendant on December 6, at which time Martinez faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

According to the charges, shortly before 12:30 a.m. on September 29, 2019, Martinez approached 22-year-old Roque Alvarez-Montes outside of a baby christening party held in the vicinity of 98^th Street and 37^th Avenue in Corona, Queens. Martinez argued with the victim just before plunging a knife into the man’s chest.

The investigation was conducted by detectives assigned to the New York City Police Department’s 115^th Precinct Detective Squad and Queens North Homicide.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Zawistowski of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Peter J. McCormack III and John W. Kosinski, Senior Deputy Bureau Chiefs, Assistant District Attorney Karen Ross, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.