Hector Martinez-Ayala, a 54-year-old resident of Utah, has been charged with the murder of his daughter, Marbella Martinez, a 25-year-old corrections officer. Marbella was found dead at her home in Tooele last month during a welfare check. Initially, Martinez-Ayala was a person of interest in the case, but he has since been implicated in her death following further investigation.
Martinez-Ayala reportedly fled the country using his twin brother’s identification, and his current location remains unknown. He had been in contact with his twin brother, sending text messages in which he confessed to making “a big mistake” and expressed fear and uncertainty about returning. These messages were pivotal in linking him to the crime.
Utah Father Charged with Daughter’s Murder, Fled Country Using Twin’s ID Amid Manhunt
According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, Marbella was strangled. Court documents reveal that Martinez-Ayala had become increasingly controlling and obsessive toward his daughter, even tracking her movements with a GPS device placed on her vehicle. His behavior was marked by significant interference in her life.
On the day of the murder, Martinez-Ayala disabled security cameras at their home and discarded Marbella’s phone, which contained video evidence, along Interstate 80. The phone was later recovered by investigators. Martinez-Ayala’s flight path took him from Salt Lake City to San Francisco, then to Houston, and eventually out of the country using his twin brother’s identification.
Martinez-Ayala faces multiple charges including murder, stalking, obstructing justice, unlawful financial transactions, and possession and use of another person’s identification. Marbella’s death, initially deemed suspicious, has led to these serious legal consequences for her father.
