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Jose Manuel Martinez takes credit for 40 killings

Jose Manuel Martinez will stand trial in June for one killing in Alabama, but the man is claiming innocence in that crime. He is not throwing out the innocent card in 40 other killings that took place in California though. He is admitting that he killed 40 people, and he is being charged with nine of those murders. According to CBS News on April 10, Martinez will return to California to answer for those crimes once his case in Alabama wraps up.

Why did Martinez kill so many? It has been reported that the man was a contract killer for a drug cartel. His 40 killings took place between 1980 to 2011. Once the man was arrested for the Alabama crime, many more investigators wanted to question him about other crimes. Even though he is not charged with all 40 killings, those investigating the cases believe that he did commit the crimes he has talked about.

However, at least one person in Alabama calls Martinez 'likeable' and 'polite.' This would not be the first time a killer of this nature has been able to hide their dark side under a 'good personality' to the world. Many serial killers have been called good people until their crimes are discovered, and then their neighbors and those that knew them say they had no idea about the things they had done.

With his first killing in 1980, Martinez revealed that he had been used as an enforcer for the drug cartel since the age of 16, according to The Age. The man would collect debts, and he would be able to keep 25% the money for himself. One man revealed that Martinez told investigators it was how he earned his living and supported his family. Couldn't he have found another way to support his family? What do you think of this man and his criminal life?