FAYETTEVILLE — A jury has been selected in the murder trial of Rodolfo Alberto Martinez.
Martinez, 21, is charged with accomplice to capital murder and accomplice to the unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle in connection with the drive-by slaying of Jimmy Rodriguez.
Three young men were standing near a car in Springdale in April 2015 when four males in a blue Ford Focus pulled up and demanded to know their gang affiliations, police said. One of the three said he was in a gang, and one of the people in the car opened fire, killing Rodriguez, 20, police said.
Police believe Martinez was the shooter. Martinez faces life in prison if convicted.
Giovanni Vasquez-Sanchez, who police said was the driver of the car, and Jose Delatorre, a passenger, are expected to be tried on similar charges at a later time.
The other occupant of the car was a 13-year-old boy. State law prohibits the release of information about juvenile arrest records.