Former star running back for Bowie High School arrested and charged with murder

February 07, 2013

Brelyn Sorrells was arrested and charged with murder Wednesday. Sorrells was Bowie’s star running back in 2010, when he gained over 2,000 yards for the Bulldogs. He is jailed at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center under $750,000 bond. The following release is from the City of San Marcos Police Department:

Police Arrest Suspect in Stabbing Death, Austin Man Charged with Murder

Posted Date: 2/6/2013

San Marcos Police investigators Wednesday arrested Brelyn Javon Sorrells, age 20, (DOB: 12/18/1992) of Austin for the murder of Arthur Martinez, age 20 (DOB: 8/14/92) who died early Sunday after being stabbed at a party on Allen Street in San Marcos.

Sorrells was arrested shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday without incident at San Marcos Police Headquarters after a police interview.

He was charged with murder, a first degree felony, and taken to the Hays County Law Enforcement Center where he is jailed under $750,000 bond. Additional charges are anticipated.

Police were sent to 704 Allen Street on Sunday, February 3 at approximately 12:30 a.m. for a reported loud party. Officers arriving on scene estimated the crowd size to be approximately 300 people.

According to Police Chief Howard Williams, Sorrells attended the party and became involved in an altercation inside the residence. During the incident Martinez was stabbed. He was transported by EMS to Central Texas Medical Center where he died of his wounds shortly after 1 a.m.

Police immediately began their on-scene investigation. Police obtained a search warrant for the residence and recovered the weapon used in the attack. Further information was developed over the next few days and dozens of interviews were conducted to positively identify all parties involved and the circumstances of the incident.

Police executed a second search warrant at Sorrells’ residence in Austin about eight hours after the incident.

“This investigation was complex,” said Chief Williams. “For the past four days all of our detectives worked on it. There were many witnesses who gave inconsistent statements about the event, and people were tampering with the evidence and with witnesses. I believe that our detectives did an exceptional job in detailing what happened that night. The investigation uncovered additional victims about whom we were not aware the night that it happened. Good investigations are about quality, not speed.”

The Martinez family has been notified of the arrest.