Jury Sentences Conroe Man to Life in Prison for Murder of Ex-Girlfriend

On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, a jury sentenced 50-year-old Anthony Moore to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Laura Martelli. Moore will serve a minimum of thirty years before being eligible for parole.

The trial, which began on Monday, October 30, 2023, saw Assistant District Attorney Ryan Fuller selecting a jury and Assistant District Attorney Tamara Tyler delivering opening statements. ADA Tyler recounted the events of October 18, 2021, when Conroe Police responded to a call at the Walden Road Express Market. Laura Martelli had been struck by a vehicle, and it was revealed that Moore, her ex-boyfriend, had followed her to the location after she dropped off her 9-year-old daughter at school. Moore confronted Martelli, strangled her outside her vehicle, threw her to the ground, and then ran her over with her SUV. Despite recounting the events before losing consciousness, Martelli succumbed to her injuries in the emergency room.

During the trial, jurors heard from Martelli’s close friends, who revealed that she had ended the relationship with Moore the day before her murder due to ongoing family violence, some of which occurred in front of her daughter. Moore’s friends and family testified that he admitted to the murder, claiming he had “broken.” Prosecutors presented video evidence from inside the couple’s home, showing Moore physically abusing Martelli. The jury took approximately twenty minutes to convict Moore.

In the punishment phase, prosecutors presented evidence of Moore’s prior criminal convictions, including a federal felony. Following a brief deliberation, the jury handed down a life sentence for Anthony Moore.

After the verdict, Assistant District Attorney Ryan Fuller stated, “Laura Martelli was a mother, daughter, and a friend. Anthony Moore forever took her from her precious daughter, loving mother, faithful friends, and the rest of us. For this, Moore’s life sentence is both just and necessary.”

District Attorney Brett Ligon also commented, saying, “The fact that family violence is persistent and widespread does not mean it should be excused or overlooked. Which is why the brutality of the type seen here must be spotlighted and prevented whenever possible. And where prevention is not possible, savage behavior must be met with the severest of legal consequences. I am grateful our jurors understand this and continue to render justice for victims whenever called upon.”