Death penalty case to stay in Butler County, judge rules

HAMILTON — A Butler County judge overruled a venue change among several other motions Friday in preparation for the capital murder trial for one of two men charged in the gang-style double homicide two years ago in Fairfield.

Edel Hernandez-Martinez, 23, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and participating in a criminal gang for the deaths of Evelvin Osveli Morales, 20, and Marlon Enamorado-Gomez, 21. He was arrested in July and is scheduled to stand trial March 7 before county Common Pleas Judge Michael Sage.

Last month, Sage overruled the motion of defense attorneys David Washington and Tamara Sacks to supress statments Hernandez-Martinez made to police indicting he was part of a gang and took part in the planning of the double shooting.

Prosecutor Jason Phillabaum said evidence indicates Hernandez-Martinez was complicit in the deaths of both men.

Sage on Friday denied motions for change of venue and to close pretrial hearings to the public.

Co-defendant Hector Alvarenga Retana, 23 — who is in custody in North Carolina for homicides in that state and also is charged in a Cincinnati homicide — was indicted in June for the double murder in Fairfield. He also faces the death penalty if convicted of the crimes. Retana is currently awaiting trial in North Carolina.