LONGVIEW, Texas — A Longview man with a lengthy criminal history has been charged with causing the death of man whose body was found in a neighborhood with dog bites earlier this month.
Martin Gilbert Rodriguez, 56, is now charged with attack by a dog causing death in connection with the death of 46-year-old man, who was found near Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Rayburn St., around 3 a.m. Feb. 1, with wounds "consistent with that of a dog bites," police said.
In an update Thursday, Longview police said the arrest warrant was issued after an autopsy was returned to the police department.
Under Texas law, attack by dog causing death is considered a second-degree felony with a sentence of two to 20 years if he is found guilty.
Rodriguez remains in custody for the warrant and other charges in the Gregg County Jail. No bond has been set, according to police.
He has been in the Gregg County Jail since Feb. 1 on animal-related charges.
Rodriguez's other charges include:
- 28 counts - Animal at large
- 2 counts - Animal not vaccinated
- 5 counts - Failure to maintain financial responsibility
- 4 counts - No driver's license
- Speeding
- Animal illegally kept in parked or standing vehicle
Rodriguez lives in the 2500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., near the area where a man's body was found with multiple wounds believed to be dog bites.
According to Gregg County judicial records, Rodriguez was arrested in 2019 on three animal at large charges and three animal not vaccinated charges. In 2021, he was jailed on the charge of attack by dog resulting in serious bodily injury.
For the 2021 attack, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. However, the sentence was suspended five years and the remainder was probated.
Animal control officers and police officers picked up multiple dogs from a home near where the deceased man was found.
"It’s usually quiet, peaceful going tight-knit community," said Keri Davis, who works at nearby Bel's Diner. "Everybody looks out for each other."
Davis has worked at Bel's for many years, and says he's had a hard time dealing with what has happened. He's especially concerned because the attack happened on a street that typically sees lots of foot traffic.
"And like a lot of people use this street to exercise," Davis said. "I’m one of 'em. I run up and down this street, a lot of people walk, all different types of ages. So you know, you don’t want that to happen. And then we’ve got a lot of school-aged kids that walk to school in the morning time also."
Others in the community told CBS19 these dogs have been an issue for some time now, and there’s a lot of frustration mounting. Why wasn’t something done sooner?
"Had this happened in Wildwood, with this many complaints against those animals, it would not have gotten to this point," former Longview NAACP president Branden Johnson said. "If this had happened in Spring Hill, it would not have gotten to this point. But when it comes to certain neighborhoods, it’s almost like they don’t care, or people don’t really give a hoot about us."
Johnson says the dogs and their owner have been an issue in the community for about six months now.
Johnson recalled six separate occasions when the police were called on the dogs, and he even says that two of his friends have been attacked by them. He says more needs to be done to protect everyone in the community.
"At least if not fairly and equally, with equity," Johnson said. "And when there’s something going on, everybody gets treated how they’re supposed to be treated. And there’s no difference, or indifference."