In a tragic story, an immigrant from Cuba is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail with capital murder charges pending against him. The man, 24 year old Michael Maceda, fatally stabbed to death a 64 year old stranger last month, Francisco Martinez-Segovia.
The Stabbing that Took One Life and Ruined Another
When Mr. Maceda fatally stabbed Mr. Martinez-Segovia, he was incredibly impaired; earlier that night, Maceda had smoked both crack and marijuana, and used both cocaine and heroin, according to reports. When he saw Martinez-Segovia walking around—stumbling a bit, and appearing to be intoxicated—Maceda believed that he would be an easy target to rob. However, Maceda turned out to be wrong – when he approached Martinez-Segovia, bearing a knife and demanding cash, Martinez-Segovia refused to hand anything over. Then, Maceda punctured him with the knife three times, causing fatal injuries. The amount of Maceda made out with was only $80, and no credit cards.
Maceda Wracked with Guilt
Sitting within the Dallas County Jail, Maceda confessed that he had killed Martinez-Segovia. However, the killing wasn’t intentional, he said. Speaking in Spanish, Maceda tearfully said, “I cried all day because I killed a man.”
A Life of Crime
Nothing justifies the stabbing of another man. That being said, it would be difficult to say that Maceda had an easy life. At the time of the stabbing, he was working as a pimp for prostitutes. But it all began much earlier than that.
A news report provided by Dallas News details Maceda’s challenges as an immigrant. While he moved to the U.S. with his parents as a young child, at the age of six, his family was robbed, and their Social Security and residency documents were stolen. When Maceda’s family tried to renew their visas, the petition was denied.
From there, it was all downhill. He was first arrested in 10th grade for assaulting a police officer; at age 19, he pled guilty to armed robbery.
Today, Maceda is being held in jail with a bail amount of $500,000.
The Importance of a Criminal Defense Attorney
There is little doubt whether Maceda will be found guilty of the crime that he committed. However, a solid criminal defense attorney could help in working to get Maceda’s sentence reduced. For others in the Dallas area who are facing capital murder charges, life in prison, and even the death penalty, a criminal defense attorney is essential.
At Clancy & Clancy Attorneys at Law, we have years’ worth of criminal defense experience in the Dallas area. If you have been charged with a serious crime, call us today at (214) 550-5771.