A Utah man is facing several charges as is he believed to have fled the country after allegedly killing his 25-year-old sheriff's deputy daughter.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office announced last month that deputy Marbella Martinez was discovered dead on Aug. 1 — less than six months after she was sworn in as a corrections officer.
Martinez was Found Dead Under 'Suspicious' Circumstances, Had 'Claw Marks' on Her Face
At the time, the office noted that the Tooele Police Department was investigating her death as "suspicious." Now, over a month later, a representative for the Tooele City Police Department confirmed that Martinez's father, Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, is facing numerous charges in connection with her death.
These charges include murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, stalking a cohabitant, unlawful possession of a financial transaction card, unlawful use of a financial transaction card, and unlawful possession of another person's identifying documents.
Martinez was initially discovered by police after 8 a.m. on Aug. 1, when authorities responded to a welfare check. Her body was discovered on her bed with "apparent fingernail claw marks" on her face and neck, KSL said. Authorities allege that Martinez-Ayala strangled his daughter.
Martinez-Ayala Engaged in Stalking Behavior for Months, Acted Like a 'Jealous Lover'
Martinez lived with her father and returned to his home around 11 a.m. on July 31, and was then last seen on an indoor camera around 12:23 p.m., before Martinez-Ayala pulled up to the house at 2:17 p.m., per the outlet.
KSL, citing prosecutors, added that any footage recorded after her father's return home "was deleted or never existed because of the disabling of the cameras after his arrival."
In court documents obtained by the Associated Press, prosecutors allege that Martinez-Ayala had engaged in stalking behavior for months. They added that "text messages from the defendant to the victim are more of the nature of a jealous lover than a father."
Martinez Found Her Underwear in Her Father's Room, He Had Placed a Tracking Device on Her Vehicle
The court documents allege that his daughter found a bag of her underwear in his room, and that Martinez-Ayala placed a tracking device on her vehicle to find her at a hiking area with a romantic interest.
The father is believed to have disposed of Martinez's phone on his way to the Salt Lake City Airport, as it was discovered alongside I-80.
Prosecutors say he traveled to San Francisco and next Houston, before allegedly using his twin brother's identification when he landed in another country, per the reports. His "last known location" was outside of the U.S., KSL reported.
