USA - California. A jury recommended the death sentence for Santiago Martinez Jr.

A Long Beach jury recommended the death sentence for Santiago Martinez Jr.. Martinez was first convicted in 2005 of killing one girlfriend, then convicted last year of killing a second girlfriend when that victim refused to help him dispose of the 1st victim's remains. The jury in the more recent conviction, however, was unable to come to a decision on the penalty Martinez should be dealt, deadlocking 11-to-1 in favor of death, so a new jury was empaneled for a 2nd penalty phase. Martinez, now 28, was first convicted in 2005 of killing Christina Wilkerson, 28, on March 18, 2003. For that crime, Martinez was sentenced to more than 50 years to life in prison. Martinez was convicted last November for the March 30, 2003 murder of Myra Orozco, 24. Orozco refused to help the defendant dispose of Wilkerson's remains. Martinez will be formally sentenced next month.