David Martin was sentenced to death by the State of Ohio for the murder of Jeremy Cole
According to court documents David Martin would go over to a home to smoke marijuana and in the end would shoot and kill Jeremy Cole
David Martin would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
David Martin Photos
David Martin Now
Number
A661315
DOB
09/14/1984
Gender
Male
Race
Black
Admission Date
09/24/2014
Institution
Ohio State Penitentiary
Status
INCARCERATED
David Martin Case
The Ohio Supreme Court has affirmed the death sentence of a Warren man convicted of kidnapping, robbing, and killing an acquaintance in 2012.
The Supreme Court voted unanimously to affirm David Martin’s convictions for the murder of Jeremy Cole and the attempted murder of Melissa “Missy” Putnam at Putnam’s home. The Court ruled 6-1 to uphold Martin’s death sentence, with Justice William M. O’Neill stating his long-standing opposition to the death penalty.
Martin was arrested within weeks of the murder when federal marshals located him in Summit County. During his transport back to Trumbull County, he confessed to the crimes. In his appeal, he argued that his incriminating statements to the marshals and to a police should have been suppressed. The Court rejected the challenges to the admission of his statements, and other claims he raised.
Writing for the Court, Justice Judith L. French noted that the death sentence has been imposed in cases similar to Martin’s. The opinion stated the Court has approved death sentences in cases combining a robbery-murder specification with a specification involving one murder and one attempted murder.
Putnam, a small-scale marijuana dealer, had known Martin for a few months when she sold him some marijuana at her house. She invited him over to smoke marijuana with her the next day. That day she also asked her friend Jeremy Cole to pick her up and drive her to places to apply for jobs. Cole and Putnam returned to her home in the late morning before Martin arrived. The three smoked marijuana together, and Putnam recognized that Martin was carrying the same gun he possessed the day before.
At some point, Martin pointed his gun at Cole and ordered him and Putnam to sit on the couch. Putnam testified that Martin took offense to something Cole said and ordered him to lie face down on the floor with his hands behind his back. Martin ordered Putnam to tie Cole’s hands, and told Putnam to tie her own hands. Martin dumped the contents of Putnam’s purse and took her cell phone and about $100, and took her marijuana that was on a table.
Martin made Cole and Putnam go to Putnam’s bedroom and lie on the bed. He went through Cole’s pockets and took his cell phone, and tried to locate his car keys. Cole said his girlfriend had the car keys and the car and would be back in an hour. Putnam knew that to be a lie and told Martin she would help him locate Cole’s car keys, and the two left her bedroom.
Martin then placed Putnam in her daughter’s bedroom, and she heard a struggle her bedroom. She heard Cole tell her, “Get out Missy… He’s about to shoot me.” She then heard a shot. Putnam then saw Martin standing over her and begged him not to shoot her in the face. Martin shot her, and the bullet passed through her hand and into her neck.
Martin told authorities he left the house on foot and stopped underneath a bridge where he removed his wristwatch and clothes, except for a pair of shorts, and burned them. He returned to his home and showered.
Putnam regained consciousness, climbed out a window to flee the home, and called 9-1-1. Responding police found Cole face down and alive, but barely breathing with his hands tied behind his back with another cord that was different than the one Martin ordered Putnam to place on Cole. Cole was taken to Trumbull Memorial Hospital where he died.
The Trumbull County coroner determined Cole had been shot once between the eyes from a distance of three to eight inches.
Putnam identified Martin, and Warren Police Detective Wayne Mackey obtained a warrant for Martin’s arrest. About three weeks after the shooting, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Martin in Tallmadge in Summit County and recovered a loaded handgun. Deputy U.S. Marshals William Boldin and Anne Murphy, task force members, transported Martin to the Warren Police station, first stopping at the Summit County jail in Akron.
While being transported from Tallmadge to Akron, Martin remarked: “I did what I had to do,” and “I can accept the needle. I did what I did, but I had to.” He made further statements indicating he committed the crime. On the way from Akron to Warren, Martin asked the marshals if they would like to see where he burned his clothes, and when Boldin said he would, Martin directed them to the bridge, where they found a pile of burned material that included a partially melted watchband.
The marshals drove Martin to the Warren police station where Mackey advised him of his Miranda rights and questioned him. He admitted to the shooting, but denied robbing Putnam and Cole, and claimed he drew his gun only after they went in another room and conspired to harm him. He also admitted the gun recovered during his arrest was the one used to shoot Cole and Putnam.
http://www.courtnewsohio.gov/cases/2017/SCO/0913/141922.asp#.YF-tcijYrrc
