A Utah man whom authorities described as becoming “increasingly obsessed and controlling” over his adult daughter, a 25-year-old sheriff’s deputy, is on the run after he was accused of killing her last month.
Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, 54, was charged last week with offenses including murder and stalking a current or former cohabitant after his daughter, Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Marbella Martinez, was discovered dead on Aug. 1.
Martinez’s body was found “lying on top of the bed, covered with a blanket up to her neck,” in the home she shared with her father in Tooele, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained
Officers who discovered Martinez’s body called her death suspicious after seeing blood in her mouth and what looked like fingernail claw marks on her face and neck, according to the affidavit.
The state medical examiner’s office determined Martinez’s death was caused by strangulation.
Police described text messages that Martinez received from her father as “more of the nature of a jealous lover than a father.” Authorities also cited more disturbing incidents involving Martinez’s father and how he allegedly behaved toward his adult child.
At one point, after Martinez found a bag of her underwear with her used feminine hygiene products inside her dad’s room, she confronted him via text message and he promised he would “change” and stop the behavior, the affidavit said.
But in July, the 54-year-old placed a tracking device on his daughter’s car while she was out of the country, according to the affidavit. That same month, he allegedly tracked down Martinez and her romantic partner in a neighboring town.
For two days after that, Martinez did not return home and instead stayed at a hotel, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance footage from their home showed the deputy returning on July 31 at around 11 a.m. and her father arriving about 3 hours later, according to the affidavit. Authorities said that any surveillance footage from after his arrival was deleted or that the cameras had been disabled.
Around 4:34 p.m. that day, police allege, Martinez-Ayala texted his brother, stating that he made a mistake and was not coming back. (Police did not say where his brother is living.)
“My brother, you know much I love you, I made a big mistake, an unforgivable sin, now I’m too scared and I don’t know what to do,” the message read, according to police. “I think I will never come back.”
Martinez-Ayala left the home, taking his daughter’s cellphone and disposing of it on the way to the Salt Lake City Airport, police said in the affidavit. The phone was later found on the side of the highway.
According to the affidavit, Martinez-Ayala flew to San Francisco and then to Houston, and then used his twin brother’s identification when he landed in another country. (Police also did not clarify whether his twin brother is the brother he texted, or if he has other siblings.) His last known location was outside the U.S. — authorities did not specify where — and his current whereabouts are unknown.
The Tooele City Police Department told HuffPost on Friday that there is no update on the investigation at this time.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in a statement following Martinez’s death that the 25-year-old had been sworn in as a corrections officer in January.
“Deputy Martinez was a dedicated member of our Sheriff’s Office family. In her short time with us, she became a cherished friend and an integral part of our team,” Rivera said. “Her untimely and tragic death is a profound loss for us all.”
