Vantine Alfonso Martin, 24, of Walnut Street was arrested Oct. 20 after being taken into custody on the expired inspection sticker complaint from McClain County, and was also charged with assault and battery on an officer, a felony offense. "We found a warrant out of McClain County and when we served him with that warrant, he tried to run, hitting Under Sheriff Steve Wilson in the mouth, " said Sheriff Morris Roberts. Martin was arraigned on the murder charge Monday.
According to a court affidavit, an unnamed informant told Altus police that Kenneth Roy Fitts was heard "talking about how he and Vantine Martin (also known as "Fonz") had beaten and killed the guy that was found shot to death the day before." The informant told police that Fitts had found Cargal with his girlfriend, Clarissa Davis, a dancer at a bar called Baby Dolls.
The affidavit said that Davis told police that she got in the truck with Cargal the day of the killing and was "about to engage in a sexual act when Fitts opened up the passenger side door of the truck and pulled her out."
According to the affidavit, Davis said Martin was at the driver's side of the truck pointing a gun at Cargal, and "yelling at him to give him all his money." Davis also stated Cargal was pleading for his life, and that she heard Martin hit Cargal at least twice. The affidavit also stated Davis heard a gunshot, and saw Martin running and carrying Cargal's belt and buckle.
Baby Dolls club owner Charles Goodlow confirmed that he had seen Davis leave with Cargal on at least two separate occasions in the weeks prior to the killing.
An autopsy conducted at the state Medical Examiner's Office in Oklahoma City found that Cargal died of a single gunshot wound that penetrated his aorta, both lungs and his right arm.
The cause of death is listed as exsanguination (bleeding). A .22 caliber shell casing was found near Cargal's body.
The affidavit quotes a Kensey Bailey telling police that he bought a .22 Beretta from Martin for $50, sold it to a third party and then got it back.
It also states, Bailey said he threw the gun into Turkey Creek near Olustee. The affidavit said that several searches of the creek have failed to turn up the weapon.
No charges are being considered against Fitts. "It's our belief that Kenneth Roy Fitts had Martin take him out there to pick up his girlfriend, Davis. Neither Fitts nor Davis knew what Martin had planned," said District Attorney John Wampler. "The evidence at this point indicates that he acted alone."
Sheriff Roberts said, "This was a group effort; the Altus Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the District Attorney and the informants is what brought this all together."
Martin is being held in Jackson County Jail after being denied bond and is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing Feb. 5, 6 and 9, 2004.
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