Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, a 54-year-old man from Tooele, Utah, has been charged with the murder of his daughter, Marbella Martinez, who was a Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputy. Martinez-Ayala confessed to making a “big mistake” in a text message to his brother before fleeing the country and using his daughter’s bank card to withdraw money.
Marbella Martinez had moved out of her father’s home in Tooele due to his obsessive texting, surveillance, and stalking behavior, which had been ongoing for months. Prosecutors described the text messages from Martinez-Ayala to his daughter as coming from a jealous lover rather than a father. He had also placed a tracking device on her vehicle and used it to locate her and a romantic interest.
On July 31, Martinez-Ayala strangled his daughter when she returned home, and then fled the country. He was tracked through his digital footprints, eventually using his brother’s identification to pass through customs in an undisclosed country. Marbella’s body was found on August 1 in her bedroom after a welfare check was performed.
In addition to murder, Martinez-Ayala is facing charges related to obstruction of justice, stealing a bank card, stalking, and identity theft. He does not have an attorney listed in Utah court records, and attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful. The case is being investigated by Tooele Police and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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