Ohio Teen Blake Linkis Pleads Guilty to Murder of Ex-Girlfriend Natalie Martin

The Tragic Senior Trip

• 🎓 Eighteen-year-olds Natalie Martin and Blake Linkis, former high school sweethearts, traveled to Myrtle Beach for a graduation trip with friends.
• 💔 Despite having broken up weeks prior, they attended the trip together, with Blake reportedly expressing distress over the breakup.

Discovery of Natalie Martin

• 🌅 The morning after a night out, friends were awakened by a bloodied Blake Linkis, who claimed Natalie Martin would not wake up.
• 📞 A 911 call revealed Natalie was found "ice cold" and "very blue," with friends unable to confirm if she was breathing.
• 🚨 Paramedics were dispatched, and police began questioning Blake Linkis regarding Natalie's death.

Blake Linkis's Interrogation and Confession

• 🗣️ During interrogation, Blake Linkis recounted an argument with Natalie, reportedly over something seen on her phone, possibly related to Snapchat.
• 💥 He admitted to putting his hands around her throat, stating it was not intentional to kill her, but that she fell off the bed.
• 📱 After the incident, he admitted to texting his parents that he "messed up" and "loved them."
• 💔 The following morning, Blake discovered Natalie still on the floor, realized she was deceased, and contemplated suicide, even obtaining a knife.
• 🩸 He eventually confessed that his actions the previous night had ended up killing her, admitting to manual strangulation.

Relationship History and Motive

• 💔 Blake and Natalie had been together for nearly three years, with their relationship described as generally good and loving.
• ⚠️ Past incidents of jealousy and arguments were discussed, including a past physical altercation where Blake pushed Natalie to the ground.
• 📱 The argument that preceded the fatal incident reportedly stemmed from Blake seeing messages on Natalie's phone, which he perceived as her giving attention to another male.
• ⛓️ During the altercation, Natalie's necklace was pulled off, which further angered Blake.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

• ⚖️ On February 28, 2025, Blake Linkis, then 20, pleaded guilty to the murder of Natalie Martin.
• 🕊️ This plea spared Natalie's family the ordeal of a trial.
• ⛓️ Blake Linkis was sentenced to 45 years in prison with no eligibility for early release, to be served in South Carolina.