May 27—A Hunt County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a charge of murder in connection with a December 2021 shooting death.

Trial was scheduled to begin May 15 in the 196th District Court for Martin Pardon-Martinez of Quinlan, until he announced he would plead guilty.

During a hearing in the court Friday morning, Judge Andrew Bench accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Pardon-Martinez, 44, to 28 years in prison.

Parson-Martinez was indicted on the charge in February 2022. He had pleaded not guilty.

A report from the Hunt County Sheriff's office indicated deputies responded to a disturbance with weapons at around 2:30 a.m. Dec. 5, 2021 in the 8900 block of Private Road 2402 southwest of Quinlan.

When deputies arrived on scene they found an adult male subject in the roadway and witnesses at the scene advised the victim had been shot.

The deputies were reported to have begun administering first aid to the victim until AMR and Union Valley Fire Department arrived to take over life saving measures.

Pardon-Martinez, the suspect in the shooting, fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by deputies. The victim of the shooting was transported to the hospital and succumbed to his injuries.

Murder is a first degree felony, punishable upon conviction by a maximum sentence of from five to 99 years to life in prison and an optional fine of up to $10,000.