2001-05-10

Nicolas Molina and the victim Martin Marentes lived in adjoining rooms at the Inn of Amarillo in Amarillo, Texas.  They also worked together with Martin having gotten appellant a job.

Although the two men were ostensibly friends, they argued on several occasions about appellant’s girlfriend whom appellant apparently believed was involved with Martin in some way.

The night before the homicide, the two had argued at Olga’s Bar at the Inn of Amarillo.

The next day, Martin was found in his room by a maid lying in a pool of blood.  He had been beaten to death with a hammer.

Appellant did not show up for work that day and was later arrested for the offense.  When he was brought to the police station, he confessed to the murder.

Officer Daniel Montano was called to the police station after Molina's arrest because he spoke Spanish and was needed to converse with Molina who did not speak English.

Molina was escorted into an interrogation room, and he and Montano were alone. Montano asked Molina if “he knew why he was here” in order to make sure that they were going to be talking about the same incident.

As soon as he asked the question, Molina responded by stating that he did know and confessing to the murder.

After that point, Montano merely listened and took notes. When Molina finished, Montano wrote out a statement in English while Molina was being processed.  After Molina returned, Montano went over the written statement with Molina and Molina signed it.