Atwater woman to be tried in Ceres killing. Said she ‘snapped,’ detective testifies
A judge on Friday ordered an Atwater woman to stand trial in the fatal shooting of her longtime partner at a Ceres motel, after testimony outlined a close-range gunshot and conflicting accounts of what led up to it.
Zella Holmes, 41, is charged with murder in the Sept. 25, 2025, killing of Franklin Martin at a Howard Johnson motel in Ceres. She also faces a firearm enhancement, a felony evasion charge and one count of child endangerment tied to her 6-year-old son.
During a preliminary hearing in Stanislaus County Superior Court, prosecutors presented forensic evidence and police testimony that they said showed Holmes shot Martin while he was reclining in bed. Defense counsel countered that Holmes acted in the heat of the moment after years of abuse and sexual assault.
Judge Valli Israels held Holmes to answer on the murder charge, the firearm enhancement, felony evasion and one count of child endangerment.
Surveillance, timeline detailed
David McCann, a Ceres Police Department community service officer, testified that surveillance footage showed Holmes, Martin and their young son arriving at the motel at about 1:30 a.m. and entering Room 230. Martin was not seen leaving.
Holmes was later seen leaving the room with the child at about 6 a.m., appearing wet and wrapped from the waist down in hotel bedding. The child was not wearing shoes or socks, according to testimony.
Police later found Martin dead in the room, leaning against the headboard of a bed.
Close-range gunshot
Stanislaus County forensic pathologist Dr. Sung Baik testified Martin died from a single gunshot wound to the left eye. The doctor said gunshot residue and stippling indicated the weapon was fired from less than 10 inches away.
Ceres police Sgt. Jose Berber, who processed the scene, described finding a .45-caliber handgun on a table near the television, a spent casing near a nightstand and additional live rounds in the room.
Berber testified there were no apparent defensive injuries on Martin’s hands and no signs of a physical struggle in the room.
Holmes’ statements to police
Detective Ryan Petersen, the lead investigator, testified that Holmes gave varying accounts during two interviews.
In one version, she said Martin kept a handgun in his waistband. In another, she said the gun was on a nightstand.
Petersen testified that Holmes told him she became upset while the two were arguing and “snapped,” grabbed the gun and shot Martin in the head.
“She stated it was her decision,” Petersen testified.
Holmes also told police that Martin had tried to have sex with her that night and that she had been sexually assaulted, though the detective said her statements about the incident were inconsistent and at times incomplete.
Defense: abuse, provocation
During cross-examination and argument, defense attorney Donnell Snipes pointed to Holmes’ statements that she had been in an abusive relationship with Martin for more than a decade, had visible injuries from past incidents and feared for her safety.
Snipes argued Holmes was provoked and acted in the heat of the moment, saying the evidence supported a voluntary manslaughter theory rather than murder.
He also noted Holmes appeared impaired and sleep-deprived during her initial interview with police.
Prosecution: no evidence of struggle
Deputy District Attorney Harshan Samra argued the physical evidence did not support Holmes’ account.
He pointed to the close-range gunshot, the position of Martin’s body and the lack of injuries or signs of a struggle.
“There are no injuries to Ms. Holmes consistent with her claims of having been attacked,” Samra said in court.
He also emphasized Holmes’ inconsistent statements and argued the evidence showed she intentionally shot Martin while he was in bed.
Child, police pursuit
Earlier testimony showed Holmes was contacted by police later that morning during a domestic violence investigation near the Modesto Airport. Ceres police Officer Charles Rushing testified a young child was in the back seat of her car, unrestrained and moving around.
After officers learned a man had been found dead at the motel, Holmes drove away, leading police on a high-speed pursuit. Rushing testified that Holmes drove about 70 mph, changed lanes unsafely and entered oncoming traffic before striking a center median and continuing to a parking lot, where she was taken into custody.
Holmes has remained in custody on $2 million bail. Both attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.
