A 59-year-old woman from Rosenberg has received a life sentence for her involvement in the murder of her husband, Ramiro Martinez, which took place in September 2020. Irene Banda pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder as part of a plea agreement.
In connection with the case, Jorge Castellanos, a co-conspirator, also accepted a plea deal and admitted his role in the murder. Castellanos revealed that Banda had drugged Martinez prior to the attack, which involved him and her brother entering their home to carry out the crime.
The tragic event unfolded on September 11, 2020, when law enforcement responded to a burglary in progress call made by Banda. Upon arriving at the residence, authorities discovered Martinez deceased in the master bedroom, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Initially, Banda told investigators that intruders had broken into their home and restrained her. However, inconsistencies in her statements raised suspicions. For instance, she initially claimed the suspects taped her feet, yet later stated she had taped herself up. At one point, she mentioned escaping to a neighbor’s house while being unsure about the fate of the tape.
Surveillance footage later revealed a red Hyundai Veloster, which detectives discovered had been rented by Castellanos, leaving the neighborhood alongside Martinez’s stolen truck. Castellanos was apprehended by federal agents in October 2020 at a border checkpoint in Texas.
In February 2024, Castellanos confessed to the murder plot, detailing how it was orchestrated at Banda’s brother Arnold DeLeon’s residence. The group had allegedly discussed the abuse Banda claimed to have suffered at the hands of Martinez. Castellanos indicated that a plan was formed for him and DeLeon to go to Rosenberg to kill Martinez, with Banda promising Castellanos he could take Martinez’s possessions as a reward.
Castellanos claimed that DeLeon provided Banda with pills to sedate Martinez. Upon arriving at the house, Banda opened the front door and left a handgun on the floor for them. Castellanos recounted a struggle that ensued between DeLeon and Martinez, during which DeLeon shot Martinez in the back. Castellanos then took the gun and shot Martinez in the head.
Before fleeing the scene, Castellanos admitted to pouring bleach on Martinez’s body in an attempt to destroy any DNA evidence and loosely restraining Banda with a cord.
This information has been sourced directly from official court records.
