Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, 54, of Tooele, Utah, has been charged with murder for allegedly killing his daughter, Marbella Martinez, a Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputy. Martinez-Ayala confessed to his brother in a text message that he had made a “big mistake” before fleeing the country and using his daughter’s bank card to withdraw money. The victim had been living with her father until his obsessive and jealous behavior, including stalking and surveillance, drove her to move into a hotel.
The charges allege that the stalking behavior had been going on for months, with Martinez-Ayala’s text messages being described as more of a jealous lover than a father. He had also placed a tracking device on her vehicle to monitor her whereabouts.
Investigators believe that on July 31, Martinez-Ayala strangled his daughter at their home after she returned from a trip. He then fled to California, Texas, and ultimately another unknown country, where he used his brother’s identification to pass through customs. Martinez’s body was found in her bedroom on August 1 after a welfare check was requested.
In addition to murder, Martinez-Ayala is facing charges related to obstruction of justice, bank card theft, stalking, and identity theft. He does not currently have an attorney listed, and attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office had memorialized Martinez on Facebook, noting that her death was being investigated as suspicious by Tooele police.
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