DETROIT – A Detroit man has been sentenced to 45-70 years in prison for killing four women in four separate attacks and sexually assaulting two others.
Deangelo Kenneth Martin, 34, of Detroit, pleaded guilty in September to all six of his cases. Officials said he left a serial killer signature in each murder case, often leaving a victim’s sock and taking the time to position each body in a particular way.
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Martin was responsible for the murders of Annetta Nelson, Nancy Harrison, Travesene Ellis, and Tamara M. Jones.
The murder of Annetta Nelson
Officials said at 4:25 p.m. Feb. 26, 2018, a 43-year-old man went into a vacant house in the 11620 block of Winthrop Street in Detroit.
He found the body of Nelson, 57, of Detroit, lying facedown on the floor with blood on her face, according to authorities.
The man carried Nelson outside and flagged down police. The Wayne County Morgue identified Nelson, and her death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Martin was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder based upon the underlying felony of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The murder of Nancy Harrison
Detroit officers were called on March 19, 2019, to a vacant house in the 20070 block of Coventry Street. A body had been discovered by a Detroit man who went inside to smoke marijuana.
Police found the body of Harrison, 52, of Detroit, facedown. Her body was taken to the Wayne County Morgue and identified.
Officials ruled her death homicide by blunt force trauma. Investigation led to Martin’s arrest.
He was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder based upon the underlying felony of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The murder of Travesene Ellis
Detroit police were called at 7:20 p.m. March 24, 2019, to a vacant house in the 13700 block of Linnhurst Street.
Officers found Ellis, 55, of Detroit, lying facedown on the ground.
Medical officials pronounced her dead, but the cause of death was undetermined due to decomposition.
Martin was arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder based upon the underlying felony of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The murder of Tamara Jones
A 59-year-old Detroit man called police over to a vacant house in the 3690 block of Mack Avenue at 5:10 a.m. June 5, 2019.
The man had discovered the decomposed body of Jones, 55, of Detroit, inside the house. Police said she was facedown.
The cause and manner of her death were not determined due to decomposition, but Martin was arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder based upon the underlying felony of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Sentencing
Martin pleaded guilty Sept. 2, 2022, to second-degree murder in all four homicide cases. The sentence agreement was for Martin to serve 45-70 years in prison.
He also pleaded guilty as charged to two separate criminal sexual conduct cases. Those cases are concurrent to the homicide cases.
On Thursday (Oct. 6), Judge Regina Thomas officially sentenced Martin to 45-70 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. He received concurrent sentences of 20-40 years on his other two criminal sexual conduct cases.
“The women Deangelo Martin violently killed all had families who loved them dearly,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. “Hopefully, they will find some peace knowing that he will be in the Michigan Department of Corrections and off the streets.”
