Murder Suspect Accidentally Freed From Jail Returns Willingly
SALINAS, Calif. (AP) — A murder suspect released from a Northern California jail by mistake last week turned himself in voluntarily, authorities said.
Antonio Miranda Martinez, 36, was let out of a jail in Salinas on Thursday because of a paperwork error just hours after a court appearance, the Monterey Herald reported Tuesday.
Miranda Martinez showed up to the jail's main lobby and turned himself in on Monday, Sheriff's office spokesman Cmdr. John Thornburg said.
Thornburg says a possible reason for his return is that he knew he was wanted. Investigators had few leads on his location, but his mug shot was widely distributed to media outlets and border patrol authorities.
Miranda Martinez's pending trial will be rescheduled. He is charged with killing a 47-year-old man in March.
At the time of Miranda Martinez's accidental release, his bail had been set at $1.5 million. He will be jailed under the same terms before his release, which means he will be lodged in a maximum security cell.
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