Man found guilty of killing roommate

A 28-year-old man accused of stabbing his roommate to death on Halloween three years ago was found guilty Thursday.

Vladimir Benitez faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in prison for slaying Enrique Martinez, full name Camilo Enrique Martinez-Santiago, with a kitchen knife. On Monday, prosecutors and Benitez’ attorney will return to court to argue whether he was considered legally insane at the time of the attack. If he is found insane then he would be ordered to a mental health hospital. Otherwise, he will do time in prison.

Benitez’ defense attorney will have to prove Benitez had some sort of mental illness or problem at the time of the stabbing that prevented him from understanding what he did was immoral or illegal.

Benitez’ attorney and the prosecution agreed during the trial that he killed Martinez — so the argument came down to his sanity. Benitez changed his story with authorities several times, prosecutor Sonia Balleste said. First he said the landlady used witchcraft on him, then he said Martinez insulted him with a homosexual slur, and later he accused Martinez of pulling a knife on him, Balleste said. He even got into an argument with his own defense attorney as he took the stand during the trial, denying that he stabbed Martinez.

Benitez had been evicted in 2005 from the apartment he shared with Martinez and others. He left for several days and returned about midnight on Halloween, fetched a knife from the kitchen and attacked the sleeping Martinez. When Martinez awoke screaming for help Benitez ran away. Benitez turned himself in several weeks later.

The jury took just about 75 minutes to arrive at a verdict, Balleste said.