Daniel Lee Martin, Country Singer, Commits Suicide Amid Child Sex Abuse Probe

Country singer Daniel Lee Martin, according to the Florida office of Pasco Sheriff, has died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, via TMZ. His body was found on Friday by police who were at his home serving him with a warrant.

Martin was initially arrested on 27 January after the alleged victim, who is a minor, told police that the singer had exposed himself while the two were sitting on a sofa next to each other. Martin fondled himself while showing her pornographic movies, according to the alleged victim.

He was arrested in connection with obscenity for lewd and lascivious exhibition and prohibition of certain acts, though he was released on $15,000 bail within hours. His charges included sexual exploitation on a minor, aggravated sexual battery, and solicitation of a minor to commit rape.

Originally, the trial on those charges was set for March.

Martin, a former professional baseball player and golfer, has turned to a modest country music career starting in 1997. He was the first artist to sign with ChinMusic Records, where he released two albums; All That I Am (2003) and On My Way to You (2007). Martin also toured with the likes of Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, and Vince Gill during his tenure on stage, according to his online biography on AllMusic. He also played the 2004 CMA Festival, as well as the Nashville, TN Annual Fan Fair.

Martin then went on to television, having hosted a pair of outdoors theme television shows, including Brotherhood Outdoors by The Sportsman Channel, as well as Till Death Do Us Part, an online series broadcast on CarbonTV with now ex-wife Julie McQueen.