Alleged contract killer answers to murder charges in Tulare County

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Investigators in the South Valley say a nationwide contract killer is back in the Tulare County Jail. Only this time, Jose Manuel Martinez is in jail for nine murder counts.

On Friday, Martinez made his first court appearance for the nine murders. He shrugged his shoulders as he agreed to waive time before his next court hearing. The 52-year-old self-proclaimed contract killer for Mexican cartels pleaded not guilty to nine murder charges and one attempted murder charges -- all with special circumstances including lying in wait, kidnapping and murder for financial gain.

"It is potentially a death penalty case. We will follow up process and procedures as we do in any case," said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward.

Before his arraignment, the Tulare County Sheriff and district attorney's office along with detectives from the case who've interviewed Martinez held a press conference announcing Martinez's arrival to the Central Valley. Martinez had just pled guilty to a murder in Alabama and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. As soon as the case wrapped up, United States Marshals extradited him here so he could face the nine murder charges he's suspected of in California.

"He was a high-risk inmate. We took extreme measures to make sure that not only was the suspect, the defendant in this case, safe but that our officers were equally protected and safe in getting him to our jail facility," said Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.

Officials say the contract killer is responsible for murders in Tulare, Kern and Santa Barbara counties, though he's being tried for all of them in Tulare County. One of the murders dates back to 1980. Action News was at one murder scene back in 2000 when 56-year-old Santiago Perez was found dead in a home in Pixley.

"The families of the victims in these cases -- this is multiple egregious crimes that we wanted justice served here in Tulare County," said Boudreaux.

Martinez went undetected for the crimes for 30 years, ultimately getting caught by the U.S.-Mexican border for the 2013 Alabama murder. While in custody, detectives said he started to come clean about his past, boasting more than 40 murders at one point. At his arraignment on Friday, the public defender wanted to state on the record that Martinez will exercise his Miranda rights not to speak with law enforcement while he's in custody.

Martinez is also facing two murder charges in Florida, so once his case is over here he will likely head there to face those additional murder charges. Investigators say he's also a person of interest in other murders across the country.

Martinez will be back in court in Tulare County at the end of the month.