“I Made a Big Mistake”: Utah Father Accused of Killing Sheriff’s Deputy Daughter

Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, a Utah father, is facing serious accusations after the death of his daughter, Marbella Martinez, a 25-year-old sheriff’s deputy. According to PEOPLE, Martinez-Ayala allegedly sent a chilling text to his brother, stating, “I made a big mistake, an unforgivable sin.” This message was sent around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, just hours before police discovered Marbella’s body in their shared Tooele home the following morning.

In the affidavit, Martinez-Ayala’s message continued, “Now I’m too scared and I don’t know what to do. I think I will never come back.” Police later found Marbella’s body “lying on top of the bed, covered with a blanket up to her neck,” and determined she had been strangled.

Martinez had only recently been sworn in as a corrections officer with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, making the tragedy even more heartbreaking. Less than six months into her new role, her life was cut short in a crime that shocked the community.

Authorities believe that Martinez-Ayala fled the country after his daughter’s death. On Friday, September 6, he was formally charged with murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, stalking, unlawful possession of a financial transaction card, unlawful use of a financial transaction card, and unlawful possession of identifying documents, the Associated Press reported.

“We as a department are working with numerous agencies around the clock to bring Hector into custody for what he did. We have confiscated numerous items of interest to Hector, including his vehicle.” He added, “We plead with anyone who may have helpful information or who may be actively helping hide Hector to do the right thing.”

KSL reported that the affidavit also reveals that Martinez-Ayala’s behavior toward his daughter had grown increasingly obsessive. “The defendant was becoming increasingly obsessed and controlling with the victim,” it states. His text messages allegedly resembled those of “a jealous lover rather than a father.”

The document further alleges that Martinez-Ayala’s troubling behavior had escalated, including stalking his daughter. Authorities discovered he had placed a tracking device on her vehicle, which he used to locate her and her romantic interest just days before her death.

On July 31, the day she was last seen alive, surveillance footage captured Martinez arriving at their home around 2:17 p.m. After his arrival, the home’s cameras were disabled, and video recordings ceased. Just over two hours later, Martinez-Ayala allegedly sent his brother the ominous text message admitting to his “big mistake.”

Martinez-Ayala’s current whereabouts remain unknown. He is believed to have fled the country, using his brother’s identification to travel through airports and evade authorities. His last known location is outside of the United States. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tooele County Dispatch Center at 435-882-5600, option 1. Authorities continue their search, determined to bring justice for Marbella Martinez.