Country Singer Daniel Lee Martin Found Dead After Another Arrest on Child Sex Charges
Daniel Lee Martin, a country music singer, was found dead inside his Florida home Friday afternoon from what police determined was a death by suicide.
Martin, 54, was a lesser-known musician who previously opened for major country music stars such as Vince Gill and Willie Nelson, in addition to performing at the 2004 CMA Music Festival.
According to The Tennessean, Martin had been arrested in Williamson County, Tennessee, in 2018 for alleged sex crimes he’s accused of committing with three minors under the age of 13 between May 2014 and January 2018.
While awaiting trial, Martin reportedly moved to Florida, where he was recently arrested again in relation to alleged child sex crimes.
“In that case, court documents allege Martin exposed himself to a young girl, showed her pornography and performed a lewd act in her presence,” The Tennessean reported.
Martin was arrested on Jan. 27, 2020 and was released the following day after posting bail.
At the time of his death, Martin had been charged with “three counts of sexual exploitation on a minor, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of solicitation of a minor to commit rape of a child and two counts of committing an aggravated sexual battery,” police said, Fox News reported.
In light of his recent arrest, Martin was expected to appear in court Friday morning for a hearing that may have revoked his pre-trial release and forced him back to the state of Tennessee.
Country singer Daniel Lee Martin kills himself after another arrest on child sex charges https://t.co/32dCaQh09t
— Tennessean (@Tennessean) February 15, 2020
When he did not appear for the hearing, Pasco County authorities went to his home in Port Richey, Florida, where police found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“He did not appear,” Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper told The Tennessean.
“And we knew he was in Florida, so we notified the authorities in Pasco County that we had a new warrant for him to be picked up.”
When Martin was unresponsive to deputies’ attempts to communicate, a SWAT team entered the home and discovered his body, The Tennessean reported.
In addition to his live performances, Martin released two albums in the mid-2000s and hosted several television shows on CarbonTV.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, call 800-656-HOPE for help and support.
To educate yourself on the behaviors and grooming techniques that child molesters often use to gain access to their victims, visit childluresprevention.com.
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