New Details In Modesto Deaths Arrest — Martin Martinez Accused Of Killing His 6-Month-Old Child


Police have released little information about the deaths of two women and three children found at a home in Modesto over the weekend. But now that a suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder, a disturbing detail has emerged about the crime.

Martin Martinez, 30, allegedly killed his own daughter, 6-month-old Rachael, the Modesto Bee reported. Her mom, Dr. Amanda Crews, was also among the dead.

Police have classified the heinous murder of Crews, 38, her daughters Elizabeth, 6, and Rachael, as well as a third female child and adult woman — neither of them identified — as an incidence of domestic violence, said Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll.

“Although this case is still under investigation, we have unfortunately seen violence in the home take too many innocent victims. We have seen a rise in domestic violence in our community. Earlier this year, we had the tragic murder-suicide of a wife and two children by the father. We have also had other senseless homicides in the past few years involving family members and/or acquaintances.”

The Modesto deaths bring the city’s homicides to 15 — eight of them are related to domestic violence.

Martinez was arrested near San Jose Sunday. According to the ABC 7, after he was fingered as a person of interest, Modesto police informed authorities in San Jose that he could be with family nearby. While they kept an eye on his car, a Lincoln Navigator, they got a tip that he left with a family member in a different car. Martinez was arrested in a mall parking lot.

No motive has been given about, nor information on when, the deaths occurred — or how. But Crews’ mom, Paulette Beidleman, spoke to her daughter on Thursday. A friend was supposed to meet Amanda and her daughter at some point afterward, grew concerned, and called police. By Saturday afternoon, officers arrived for a security check, and discovered the deaths.

“You just don’t expect that in your neighborhood. You think it’s safe you think it’s quiet and then you see this,” said neighbor Shawna Avery.

A colleague, Dr. Alisha Pratt, praised Amanda for being both a wonderful doctor and person, according to the Bee. Both worked at a Modesto practice in family medicine a couple years ago.

“She taught us to be compassionate and caring, that there was more to medicine than just the textbooks. She wanted us to be good doctors. She was a good person to emulate because she was that.”

With Martinez arrested and facing serious charges, Paullette said she is still in shock at the deaths of her daughter and granddaughter, allegedly at his hand. She remembers Crews wanting to be a doctor at a young age — after she broke her arm.

“I think it was helping people feel better. She was a people person. She was very outgoing.”

Martinez, now arrested and facing charges of suspicion of murder in connection with their deaths, once worked at a Health Services Agency. He and Crews apparently had a brief relationship a year ago in Nevada.

The investigation is ongoing.

[Photo Courtesy Twitter]

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