82-year-old Christian patient beaten to death with oxygen tank for praying: authorities
According to police, on Dec. 17 Martinez “became upset when the victim started to pray. He then struck the victim with an oxygen tank.”
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According to police, on Dec. 17 Martinez “became upset when the victim started to pray. He then struck the victim with an oxygen tank.”
A young COVID-19 patient is accused of beating his 82-year-old hospital roommate to death with an oxygen tank in California last week, reportedly angered by his Catholic prayers.
The elderly victim shared a two-person room at Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, Calif., with the suspect in question, 37-year-old Jesse Martinez. Both were undergoing treatment for the coronavirus, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the two did not know each other, but the senior citizen's praying upset Martinez on the morning of Dec. 17. The suspect then allegedly grabbed an oxygen tank and fatally beat the victim.
According to police, on Dec. 17 Martinez "became upset when the victim started to pray. He then struck the victim with an oxygen tank."
Hospital workers detained Martinez at the scene until law enforcement arrived. The investigation is ongoing.
The victim died of his injuries the next day.
Martinez has been charged with murder, hate crime enhancement, and elder abuse. With bail set at $1 million, he was expected to appear in court on Dec. 28.
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