Suspect jailed in city

One man was dead Friday and another in custody after a Thursday night stabbing in the core of the city.

Samuel Hart, 38, of Porterville, was being held without bail late Friday in the Bob Wiley Detention Facility on suspicion of murder.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Ruben Martinez, 23, of Porterville, centered on a fight between the two men, police said early Friday.

Porterville police were sent to 38 N. F St. at about 10:20 p.m. Thursday to check on a stabbing victim. Officers arriving at the scene found Martinez had been stabbed with an unknown type of weapon.

Detectives were called to the scene and took over the investigation.

Police reported Friday that Martinez was in a fight with a man later identified as Hart. Witnesses reportedly told police that during the fight, Martinez was stabbed in the upper torso. Martinez reportedly tried to flee the scene after being stabbed, only to collapse a short distance away.

Martinez was taken to Sierra View District Hospital by ambulance, where police report he later died.

Hart reportedly fled the area on foot before police arrived at the scene. He was later found by a Tulare County SheriffÂ’s Department deputy in the area of Highway 190 and Jaye Street. He was taken into custody without incident.

ThursdayÂ’s incident is the third suspected homicide in Porterville this year.

The body of Clenon Ian Williams, 21, was found by passers-by on Aug. 2 in Porter Slough near the intersection of F Street and Oak Avenue. Then, on Aug. 27, Juan Manuel Castellanos-Alvarado, 35, of Porterville, was gunned down during an afternoon shooting witnessed by dozens of people in front of Sunshine Market on South Main Street.

ThursdayÂ’s case is under investigation by the Porterville Police DepartmentÂ’s Investigations Division. Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to call Detective Bryan Clower or Sgt. Jake Castellow at 782-7400.

Clower is also investigating the Williams and Castellanos-Alvarado slayings.

Contact Glen Faison at 784-5000, Ext. 1040, or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.