Judge won’t lower $1.1M bond for suspect in deadly Socorro bar shooting
UPDATE, Sept. 1: The man accused of killing another person inside a Socorro bar will remain in jail and will not have his bond lowered, a judge ruled Wednesday.
43-year-old Neftali Martinez is charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed 51-year-old Daniel Almanzar inside Coconuts Wing Cantina last week.
A lawyer for Martinez asked a judge to lower his bond, saying he had no criminal record and no longer has access to the gun used in the shooting. However, prosecutors argued Martinez also fired additional shots into a nearby neighborhood after leaving the bar.
Judge Penny Hamilton said she was concerned about the allegations presented and ordered Martinez to continue to be held on a $1.1 million bond.
UPDATE, Aug. 26: El Paso County Sheriff's deputies on Thursday afternoon announced an arrest in the deadly shooting at Coconuts Wing Cantina in Socorro.
43-year-old Neftali Maymi Martinez was booked into the El Paso County jail on charges of murder and aggravated assault. He was being held Thursday afternoon on $1.1 million bond.
Authorities allege that he shot and killed 51-year-old Daniel Almanzar inside the bar on Wednesday night, but did not offer a motive or provide any further details about the gunfire.
ORIGINAL REPORT, Aug. 25: SOCORRO, Texas -- Two people were shot, one fatally, inside a bar in Socorro late Wednesday night.
The gunfire occurred at Coconuts Wing Cantina at 10750 N. Loop and multiple police agencies were on scene investigating as of 10:40 p.m., according to Socorro police.
An El Paso County Sheriff's official told ABC-7 that one shooting victim died at the scene, while another was rushed to an area hospital with gunshot wounds.
Authorities indicated the gunshots rang out inside the bar, but there was no immediate word what led up to the deadly incident. There was also no word of any arrests.
Police crime scene tape cordoned off the parking lot around the bar, which sits in a shopping strip area.
No further details were immediately available from authorities.
