Suspects Arrested For Robbing, Beating Fresno WWII Vet Are Teens

Josef Martin still has scars on his head and face, and his wall remains
damaged after his head was slammed against it... But bout a month after the
91-year old was attacked, he now has a sense of relief knowing his attackers are
locked up.

"It's kind of a great relief because I can sleep at night," he says.

The details of that day are still so clear in his mind.

"One guy over there poked a gun in my ribs. I woke up ....All the lights were
on....and then they hit me in the side with a back of a pistol..." he
recalled.

But those three people who beat him up and ransacked his home where disguised
so well, he never suspected they were as young as fifteen and twelve years
old.

"They're kids they're kids but you can't tell. They had a red deal here and
kind of a mask," he says.

Sheriff Margaret Mims has tougher words for the trio.

"They were cowards because when they were confronted with someone they
thought would put up significant resistance they left but when they found
somebody they saw as vulnerable they attacked," she says.

Martin-blind in one eye and lives alone-was fast asleep when eh woke up with
a gun in his mouth.

Detectives say the suspects "MO" was to knock on doors, and if someone
answered...or made enough noise, they'd ask for someone who doesn't live there,
then getting away.

"Just prior to that they wen to a 73 year old woman...saw them... yelled and
they ran away," said Sheriff Mims.

Martin's was the third house they went to that day. He still doesn't have his
precious ring back which he had since his days on the battle field.

But as least now...he can still fight through life.

"They took my rings my Jewelry, my memories and took off but that's ok
because my life is going to continue," he says.