A Texas man, a suspect in a 2021 cold case, was arrested last week in the fatal stabbing of a victim in Austin before being released on bail four days after being booked into jail.
Mithovar Christopher Antoine Jr., now 22, is accused of fatally stabbing Nikolas Martinez, 23, near the victim's apartment complex in South Austin in July 2021, according to Fox 7.
Martinez was playing video games with his nephew on the day of the incident when he took a break to get laundry from the common facilities of his apartment complex before he was stabbed.
He then called 911 to report that he had been stabbed and drove to a nearby gas station for help, where he later died from his injuries.
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Mithovar Christopher Antoine Jr., now 22, is accused of fatally stabbing Nikolas Martinez, 23, in July 2021. (Bell County Jail)
Martinez's parents said two years ago they were upset by the lack of information released about who killed their son.
“We know that nothing will bring [him] “We're back,” Martinez's father, Martin Martinez, told Fox 7. “Nothing's going to make it better, but just not knowing is killing us.”
“We believe it was just a random thing that happened and we don't know why,” Martinez's mother, Wendy Martinez, told the outlet. “So if anyone saw something, please come forward.”
In June, Austin police received an anonymous tip saying they had witnessed Antoine Jr. stabbing Martinez near a South Austin apartment complex, according to an arrest warrant, Fox 7 reported.
In June, Austin police received an anonymous tip saying they witnessed Antoine Jr. stabbing Martinez near an apartment complex in South Austin. (iStock)
Police executed another search warrant and discovered that the suspect had been looking for news articles related to stabbings in Austin just days after Martinez's death.
Last week, police found Antoine Jr. in Temple, he was arrested and sent to the Bell County Jail. A judge set bail at $150,000 and he was released from jail four days later.
Bell County officials told Fox 7 the suspect was released without being extradited to Travis County.
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Police executed a search warrant and discovered that Antoine Jr. had been looking for news articles related to stabbings in Austin just days after Martinez's death. (Getty Images)
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Antoine Jr. was arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle and burglary of a habitation in the two years before Martinez's death, court documents show, according to Fox 7. He was released from jail on bond two months before Martinez's murder.
Since he was on probation, Bell County could revoke his probation and seek additional warrants, which would land him back in jail.
A Travis County grand jury will still have to indict Antoine Jr. for Martinez's murder.
