Among the deceased are Martinez's former girlfriend Dr. Amanda Crews and his 6 month old daughter with Crews named Rachel. Law enforcement has been tight lipped about the circumstances surrounding the mass killing, although a review of court documents discloses that special circumstances involving the use of a knife against Crews and Martinez's mother are present. It is not known when the actual killings took place or how Martinez was able to subdue this many victims, although 3 of the victims ranged in age from 6 months old to 6 years old.
There are many questions to be answered in this tragic and senseless story. What drove Martinez over the edge to the point where he could (allegedly) kill this many people? These were people who were close to him - at least at some point in his life. What could his mother have done to have been included in this murderous rage? How could he snuff the life out of his own 6 month old toddler? Make no mistake, this is the type of story that haunts people in their nightmares. A nightmare the families involved can never wake up from.
With information scarce on this case, we can only gleam bits and pieces of data from court documents listed on the Stanislaus County Court website. The preliminary hearing should give us a look inside the details of the case and why law enforcement zeroed in on Martinez as apparently the one and only suspect in this case. Martinez's family members voiced their shock and confusion around the allegations and arrest. They do not see "Marty" as the type of man who could commit such extreme violence, particularly to family members.
The police must have some concrete or strong circumstantial evidence to have arrested Martinez in such short order. Albeit, another arrest warrant had been issued the same day the bodies were discovered for another case in which Martinez is being charged with the murder of Dr. Amanda Crews 2 year old son Christopher Ripley. Ripley was the son of Dr. Crews and her ex husband Timothy Ridley. The 2 year old sustained a head injury while in the care of Martin Martinez that was initially ruled "accidental", however a neurologist later changed the finding to indicate he died from homicidal violence.
An arrest warrant had been issued for Martinez in the death of Christopher Ridley at the time of the mass murder in Modesto. Martinez was apprehended in a San Jose mall when he came out of a movie theatre with his father. He was taken into custody without incident and was extradited back to Stanislaus County where he has been held without bail.
This story has touched many people in the Modesto area where Dr. Crews worked as a physician. There was an outpouring of support for her family and her twin sister Kimberly and Amanda Crews ex husband Timothy Ridley who lost his two children to what appears to be a case of extreme domestic violence. It's a tragedy all the way around. In total, Martinez faces charges in the murders of 6 people in this family. The trial will be painful, as the details of the deaths of so many young and innocent children are revealed.
According to the arresting document, Martin Martinez's last known address where he is believed to have lived after CPS filed an order to remove him from the Nob Hill Court residence he shared with Crews is directly across the street from where I currently reside.
I will continue to post details as they become available. Have a great weekend!
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