A Texas man, Mithovar Christopher Antoine Jr., 22, was arrested last week in connection with a 2021 cold case stabbing in Austin. Antoine Jr. is suspected of fatally stabbing Nikolas Martinez, 23, near the victim's apartment complex in South Austin in July 2021.
The incident occurred while Martinez was taking a break from playing video games with his nephew to retrieve laundry from his apartment complex's communal facility. After being stabbed, Martinez managed to call 911 for help and drove himself to a nearby gas station, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Martinez's parents expressed their frustration over the lack of information regarding their son's death, stating that not knowing the details was agonizing for them. They urged anyone with information to come forward if they witnessed the incident.
An anonymous tip received by the Austin Police in June led to Antoine Jr.'s arrest. Police found evidence that the suspect had been searching for news articles related to stabbings in Austin shortly after Martinez's death.
Antoine Jr. was located in Temple, arrested, and booked into the Bell County Jail. Despite a bond set at $150,000, he was released on bond just four days after being booked, without being extradited to Travis County.
Court documents revealed that Antoine Jr. had prior arrests for unauthorized use of a vehicle and burglary of a habitation before Martinez's murder. He had been out on probation at the time of the incident, raising the possibility of probation revocation and additional warrants for his arrest.
For now, a grand jury in Travis County will need to indict Antoine Jr. for Martinez's murder, as the legal process unfolds in this tragic case.
