Martin Man Receives 20 Years for 2023 Murder

A Martin man, 56-year-old Lawrence Michael Rodriguez, was sentenced in Judge Jeff Parham’s Weakley County Circuit Court on September 23 for a charge stemming from a 2023 murder.

On Wednesday, November 1 at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Martin Police Department arrested and charged Rodriguez with first degree murder.

According to an affidavit, Martin PD officers responded to reports of an individual who had been shot on Hillsboro Street. When MPD arrived at the scene they found a 28-year-old man bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound.

MPD says the victim was air lifted to Memphis, but later died from his injuries.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with assistance from Sheriff Terry McDade at the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department without incident at a private residence on Sidonia Rd. Lawrence was charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Lawrence pled guilty to second degree murder and all other charges were dismissed. Second degree murder is a Class A Felony carrying a possible sentence of 15-60 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000. Lawrence received 20 years and the weapon was forfeited to MPD.