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EDINBURG — A 31-year-old woman involved in a kidnapping and murder pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to a lesser charge.

Nallely Ruby Belmares, of Edinburg, was charged with capital murder for the death of 37-year-old Teodoro Martinez, but ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in prison.

However, because she isn’t a United States citizen, she is also expected to be deported following her sentencing.

Less than a year ago, her co-defendant — 22-year-old Josias Hernandez — pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison on June 23, 2025.

Later that year, another co-defendant — 22-year-old Juan Antonio Duenes — also pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Aug. 21, court records show.

And, on Aug. 26, 2024, 25-year-old Jorge Arredondo Jr. pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

During Belmares’ sentencing, prosecutor Ana Liz DeLeon-Vargas reminded the court that two other people involved are still at large, one of them being Arredondo’s aunt, Aracely Arredondo, who was given the vehicle Martinez was killed and burned in.

At 12:27 a.m. on March 25, 2022, Martinez’s girlfriend called police from their residence in rural Edcouch reporting four masked men armed with rifles took Martinez at gunpoint after a red vehicle rammed their gate and front door, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Then, Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies responded to another location west of Val Verde Road on Mile 22 ½ Road in regards to shots fired and a red GMC Envoy on fire.

When deputies arrived, they found a body inside the vehicle along with spent .223 caliber casings around the vehicle.

It was determined that Martinez died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators tracked the sale of the Envoy to its last owner who told police that they traded the vehicle to Aracely Arredondo two days before the murder.

“During the vehicle trade, Aracely was accompanied by her boyfriend, Hector Manuel Gonzalez … who stated they were going to burn the vehicle,” the affidavit said.

Aracely’s phone records reveal that she was in communication with Belmares’ phone during the kidnapping and murder, which indicated Belmares was in the area at the time of the crime.

However, Belmares told police that her boyfriend, Jorge Arredondo Jr., had her phone at the time of the murder.

De Leon-Vargas read a victim impact statement written by Martinez’s older sister following Belmares’ sentencing.

“Nothing makes sense as to why,” De Leon-Vargas read. “Teodoro lived with me for a while. Helping me with my kids, cared for them, loved them. He was such a caring, giving person. My kids and I have suffered terribly.”

According to the statement, Martinez was only visiting the Rio Grande Valley and had moved to find a better life.

“A closed casket,” De Leon-Vargas continued to read. “I couldn’t even see my brother’s sweet face one last time.”

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