Bozeman man stabbed by roommate, expected to recover
The Bozeman Police Department responded to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 7 after the hospital reported an adult male who sustained stab wounds.
The victim, whose full name was not released by the Bozeman Police Department, is receiving medical treatment and is expected to survive, per an affidavit of probable cause written by Detective Thomas Lloyd. The suspect, Noel Martinez, 28, stabbed the victim across his left chest and left forearm.
The lacerations were deep enough and close enough to vital organs that Officer Jeff Jourdain decided to charge Martinez with attempted homicide.
According to the Gallatin County Justice Court, the victim — Martinez’s roommate — was stabbed around 2 a.m. while playing cards with another man in the living room at the victim’s shared home on Saxon Way in Bozeman.
Per the affidavit, Martinez was cooking in the kitchen at the time and after the victim asked why he was cooking at such an early hour, Martinez rushed toward him with a kitchen knife with a black handle, according to the victim.
The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team was called when it was revealed that Martinez had potentially barricaded in a bedroom alongside another roommate.
District Court Judge Andrew Breuner granted Lloyd a search warrant, and the SWAT team identified Martinez and another roommate laying on beds in the room. Law enforcement was able to communicate with both of them before taking Martinez into custody. The third roommate denied being a victim of Martinez’s actions.
BPD officers noticed blood in the living room and kitchen, as well as several knives that match the description of the weapon used to attack the victim. According to the affidavit, it looked like someone had tried to clean up the scene, as there was a black trash bag that appeared to be leaking blood.
Martinez was taken into custody at 8:50 a.m. without struggle and is being held at the Gallatin County Detention Center as of Tuesday morning. He admitted to BPD officers that he was intoxicated but didn’t admit to stabbing the victim, saying instead that he went to bed at 10 p.m., per the affidavit.
“We are grateful for the assistance of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Montana State University Police Department, Bozeman Fire Department, American Medical Response, Gallatin County 911 and for the patience and cooperation of the residents surrounding this incident,” said BPD Deputy Chief Joe Swanson in a press release.
According to the Gallatin County Detention Center inmate roster, Martinez is also on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold.
The investigation is ongoing because there were multiple people in the house at the time of the stabbing.
Deliberate attempted homicide can be punished by a term of imprisonment no less than 10 years and no more than 100 years, by a life sentence or by death, per the Montana Code Annotated.