Casper police arrested Timothy Paul Martinez on Tuesday for the alleged murder of his wife Melissa Marie Martinez on Sunday, police Sgt. Larry Baker said.
Authorities believe Timothy Martinez killed Melissa Martinez with a shotgun early Sunday.
After looking for him for two days, police received a tip about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday that Martinez was at a residence in north Casper, Baker said.
Four officers went to the residence and found him asleep in a bed, he said. "He was arrested without incident."
Martinez, 26, was charged with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the 7th District Attorney's Office. If convicted, Martinez faces possible penalties of life in prison, life in prison without parole, or the death penalty.
Martinez probably will make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court today, said Assistant District Attorney Mike Blonigen, who also filed the criminal information document with the clerk of Natrona County Circuit Court.
His wife, who was in the process of leaving Martinez, was found dead about 5 p.m. Monday in their house at 1135 E. 23rd St., Baker said.
The couple had two children - a boy, 2, and a girl, 4 - who are in the care of Melissa's parents, Baker said.
Melissa Missing
Melissa Marie Martinez's parents reported her missing at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit.
Her parents called her Saturday to tell her they would leave their home in Sinclair at 9 a.m. Sunday to help her move out of her house, which the Martinezes bought last year, according to the affidavit.
But Melissa was not there when they arrived, according to the affidavit.
They spoke with Timothy, who was cleaning the walls in the kitchen with bleach, and he told them that Melissa had gone to the store and that their two children were at a neighbor's residence a block away, according to the affidavit.
Her parents also expressed concern for Melissa's safety because of threats made by friends of hers and Timothy's against them, according to the affidavit.
When police interviewed Timothy at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, he told officers that his wife left earlier that morning in his pickup truck to go to the store, according to the affidavit.
Officers also asked him if they could search his residence. He consented and they went inside, where they reportedly saw him washing the walls. He also admitted to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine, according to the affidavit.
One of the officers also asked Timothy to come to the Casper Police Department, where he spoke with Tuma about 3 p.m.
Timothy told Tuma about his activities on Saturday night, including that he got a motel room to stay in that night and asked but Melissa to join him but she declined. He went back to their house, entering through a window, and found Melissa with their children sleeping on the floor in front of the television, according to the affidavit.
He awakened her, and the two talked and then had sex, he told police. He was awakened the next morning by Melissa, who he said had showered and asked him to move the U-Haul truck so she could use the van to go to the store, he reported to police. He didn't want to get up, so he let her use his truck, he reportedly told police.
He said she went to the store, and that while he slept the children made a mess with chocolate milk that he had to clean. He asked her cousin, Melissa Scriven, if she could watch the children while he cleaned, according to the affidavit's account of the interview with Timothy.
Timothy also reportedly told Tuma that he was high on methamphetamine, and his drug problem was the cause of their marital difficulties, according to the affidavit.
Police charged Timothy Martinez with possession of methamphetamine at that time, Baker said.
Tuma and other officers also interviewed Scriven.
The two were together Saturday night until about midnight, and Scriven recalled Melissa saying she was afraid that Timothy and his friends might break into the house and steal her property and possibly hurt her, according to the affidavit.
Melissa also asked her cousin to unload a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, according to the affidavit. The woman reportedly did so, returning the weapon to the bedroom closet.
About 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Scriven returned to the house and was reportedly told by Timothy that Melissa had gone to the store, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said Timothy asked her to watch the children while he cleaned the mess they made. She said she took them outside and waited until Melissa's parents arrived, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said that Melissa would rarely, if ever, leave the children alone with Timothy, according to the affidavit.
She also said that she gave Timothy a ride to a location in north Casper on Sunday, where he got out of the vehicle and was not seen again, according to the affidavit.
Neighbors, Children
Tuma also interviewed a neighbor, who saw police and Metro Animal Control officers come to the Martinez house at 8:30 a.m. in response to an animal complaint, according to the affidavit.
But after the officers left, the neighbor noticed movement in the kitchen through the front window, and saw Timothy take down the curtains and clean the kitchen, something she never saw before, according to the affidavit.
Other neighbors said that Timothy and Melissa were constantly arguing and fighting, and that the couple blamed the discord on drug use, according to the affidavit.
Police responses to the Martinez's residence had been frequent, according to a Web site listing Casper Police Department calls. Police had responded to the residence Saturday for a vandalism report, according to the Web site. Other reports included an assault in June, a disturbance in July, lost property in June and July, stalking in August, and welfare checks in November 2002, and February and July.
Baker said Monday that the couple had no apparent history of domestic violence, but the affidavit reported that Melissa filed for a protection order earlier this year, according to the affidavit, citing an interview with her parents.
On Monday, two child forensic interviewers with the Department of Family Services conducted separate interviews with two children whose identities were not disclosed in the affidavit.
One child said that Timothy and Melissa became involved in an argument, that Melissa had been "harmed by a gun," and that Timothy had been cleaning blood at the residence, according to the affidavit.
The other child said that he saw Timothy shoot Melissa in the face with a gun, according to the affidavit.
On Monday, police searched the Martinez's residence and found Melissa's body hidden in the house, and that she "had died of apparent head trauma," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit does not state exactly where in the house police found her body, or pinpoint a time of death.
Police also found a Remington 12-gauge shotgun with a large amount of blood on it, according to the affidavit.
The last paragraph of the affidavit recounts a detective's interview of two women who said another woman had been romantically involved with Timothy Martinez.
Melissa reportedly knew about the affair, and told the woman in August to stop seeing Timothy, the women told police. They also reported that the woman physically assaulted Melissa two days later, according to the affidavit.
"In those same conversations, both individuals stated that (the woman) repeatedly said that it was not only her desire but the desire of Timothy Martinez that Melissa Martinez be killed so the two of them could be together," according to the affidavit.
© Casper Star Tribune September 10, 2003
Timothy Martinez was sentenced to life without parole.
Authorities believe Timothy Martinez killed Melissa Martinez with a shotgun early Sunday.
After looking for him for two days, police received a tip about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday that Martinez was at a residence in north Casper, Baker said.
Four officers went to the residence and found him asleep in a bed, he said. "He was arrested without incident."
Martinez, 26, was charged with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the 7th District Attorney's Office. If convicted, Martinez faces possible penalties of life in prison, life in prison without parole, or the death penalty.
Martinez probably will make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court today, said Assistant District Attorney Mike Blonigen, who also filed the criminal information document with the clerk of Natrona County Circuit Court.
His wife, who was in the process of leaving Martinez, was found dead about 5 p.m. Monday in their house at 1135 E. 23rd St., Baker said.
The couple had two children - a boy, 2, and a girl, 4 - who are in the care of Melissa's parents, Baker said.
Melissa Missing
Melissa Marie Martinez's parents reported her missing at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit.
Her parents called her Saturday to tell her they would leave their home in Sinclair at 9 a.m. Sunday to help her move out of her house, which the Martinezes bought last year, according to the affidavit.
But Melissa was not there when they arrived, according to the affidavit.
They spoke with Timothy, who was cleaning the walls in the kitchen with bleach, and he told them that Melissa had gone to the store and that their two children were at a neighbor's residence a block away, according to the affidavit.
Her parents also expressed concern for Melissa's safety because of threats made by friends of hers and Timothy's against them, according to the affidavit.
When police interviewed Timothy at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, he told officers that his wife left earlier that morning in his pickup truck to go to the store, according to the affidavit.
Officers also asked him if they could search his residence. He consented and they went inside, where they reportedly saw him washing the walls. He also admitted to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine, according to the affidavit.
One of the officers also asked Timothy to come to the Casper Police Department, where he spoke with Tuma about 3 p.m.
Timothy told Tuma about his activities on Saturday night, including that he got a motel room to stay in that night and asked but Melissa to join him but she declined. He went back to their house, entering through a window, and found Melissa with their children sleeping on the floor in front of the television, according to the affidavit.
He awakened her, and the two talked and then had sex, he told police. He was awakened the next morning by Melissa, who he said had showered and asked him to move the U-Haul truck so she could use the van to go to the store, he reported to police. He didn't want to get up, so he let her use his truck, he reportedly told police.
He said she went to the store, and that while he slept the children made a mess with chocolate milk that he had to clean. He asked her cousin, Melissa Scriven, if she could watch the children while he cleaned, according to the affidavit's account of the interview with Timothy.
Timothy also reportedly told Tuma that he was high on methamphetamine, and his drug problem was the cause of their marital difficulties, according to the affidavit.
Police charged Timothy Martinez with possession of methamphetamine at that time, Baker said.
Tuma and other officers also interviewed Scriven.
The two were together Saturday night until about midnight, and Scriven recalled Melissa saying she was afraid that Timothy and his friends might break into the house and steal her property and possibly hurt her, according to the affidavit.
Melissa also asked her cousin to unload a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, according to the affidavit. The woman reportedly did so, returning the weapon to the bedroom closet.
About 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Scriven returned to the house and was reportedly told by Timothy that Melissa had gone to the store, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said Timothy asked her to watch the children while he cleaned the mess they made. She said she took them outside and waited until Melissa's parents arrived, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said that Melissa would rarely, if ever, leave the children alone with Timothy, according to the affidavit.
She also said that she gave Timothy a ride to a location in north Casper on Sunday, where he got out of the vehicle and was not seen again, according to the affidavit.
Neighbors, Children
Tuma also interviewed a neighbor, who saw police and Metro Animal Control officers come to the Martinez house at 8:30 a.m. in response to an animal complaint, according to the affidavit.
But after the officers left, the neighbor noticed movement in the kitchen through the front window, and saw Timothy take down the curtains and clean the kitchen, something she never saw before, according to the affidavit.
Other neighbors said that Timothy and Melissa were constantly arguing and fighting, and that the couple blamed the discord on drug use, according to the affidavit.
Police responses to the Martinez's residence had been frequent, according to a Web site listing Casper Police Department calls. Police had responded to the residence Saturday for a vandalism report, according to the Web site. Other reports included an assault in June, a disturbance in July, lost property in June and July, stalking in August, and welfare checks in November 2002, and February and July.
Baker said Monday that the couple had no apparent history of domestic violence, but the affidavit reported that Melissa filed for a protection order earlier this year, according to the affidavit, citing an interview with her parents.
On Monday, two child forensic interviewers with the Department of Family Services conducted separate interviews with two children whose identities were not disclosed in the affidavit.
One child said that Timothy and Melissa became involved in an argument, that Melissa had been "harmed by a gun," and that Timothy had been cleaning blood at the residence, according to the affidavit.
The other child said that he saw Timothy shoot Melissa in the face with a gun, according to the affidavit.
On Monday, police searched the Martinez's residence and found Melissa's body hidden in the house, and that she "had died of apparent head trauma," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit does not state exactly where in the house police found her body, or pinpoint a time of death.
Police also found a Remington 12-gauge shotgun with a large amount of blood on it, according to the affidavit.
The last paragraph of the affidavit recounts a detective's interview of two women who said another woman had been romantically involved with Timothy Martinez.
Melissa reportedly knew about the affair, and told the woman in August to stop seeing Timothy, the women told police. They also reported that the woman physically assaulted Melissa two days later, according to the affidavit.
"In those same conversations, both individuals stated that (the woman) repeatedly said that it was not only her desire but the desire of Timothy Martinez that Melissa Martinez be killed so the two of them could be together," according to the affidavit.
© Casper Star Tribune September 10, 2003
Timothy Martinez was sentenced to life without parole.
Casper police arrested Timothy Paul Martinez on Tuesday for the alleged murder of his wife Melissa Marie Martinez on Sunday, police Sgt. Larry Baker said.
Authorities believe Timothy Martinez killed Melissa Martinez with a shotgun early Sunday.
After looking for him for two days, police received a tip about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday that Martinez was at a residence in north Casper, Baker said.
Four officers went to the residence and found him asleep in a bed, he said. "He was arrested without incident."
Martinez, 26, was charged with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the 7th District Attorney's Office. If convicted, Martinez faces possible penalties of life in prison, life in prison without parole, or the death penalty.
Martinez probably will make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court today, said Assistant District Attorney Mike Blonigen, who also filed the criminal information document with the clerk of Natrona County Circuit Court.
His wife, who was in the process of leaving Martinez, was found dead about 5 p.m. Monday in their house at 1135 E. 23rd St., Baker said.
The couple had two children - a boy, 2, and a girl, 4 - who are in the care of Melissa's parents, Baker said.
Melissa Missing
Melissa Marie Martinez's parents reported her missing at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit.
Her parents called her Saturday to tell her they would leave their home in Sinclair at 9 a.m. Sunday to help her move out of her house, which the Martinezes bought last year, according to the affidavit.
But Melissa was not there when they arrived, according to the affidavit.
They spoke with Timothy, who was cleaning the walls in the kitchen with bleach, and he told them that Melissa had gone to the store and that their two children were at a neighbor's residence a block away, according to the affidavit.
Her parents also expressed concern for Melissa's safety because of threats made by friends of hers and Timothy's against them, according to the affidavit.
When police interviewed Timothy at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, he told officers that his wife left earlier that morning in his pickup truck to go to the store, according to the affidavit.
Officers also asked him if they could search his residence. He consented and they went inside, where they reportedly saw him washing the walls. He also admitted to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine, according to the affidavit.
One of the officers also asked Timothy to come to the Casper Police Department, where he spoke with Tuma about 3 p.m.
Timothy told Tuma about his activities on Saturday night, including that he got a motel room to stay in that night and asked but Melissa to join him but she declined. He went back to their house, entering through a window, and found Melissa with their children sleeping on the floor in front of the television, according to the affidavit.
He awakened her, and the two talked and then had sex, he told police. He was awakened the next morning by Melissa, who he said had showered and asked him to move the U-Haul truck so she could use the van to go to the store, he reported to police. He didn't want to get up, so he let her use his truck, he reportedly told police.
He said she went to the store, and that while he slept the children made a mess with chocolate milk that he had to clean. He asked her cousin, Melissa Scriven, if she could watch the children while he cleaned, according to the affidavit's account of the interview with Timothy.
Timothy also reportedly told Tuma that he was high on methamphetamine, and his drug problem was the cause of their marital difficulties, according to the affidavit.
Police charged Timothy Martinez with possession of methamphetamine at that time, Baker said.
Tuma and other officers also interviewed Scriven.
The two were together Saturday night until about midnight, and Scriven recalled Melissa saying she was afraid that Timothy and his friends might break into the house and steal her property and possibly hurt her, according to the affidavit.
Melissa also asked her cousin to unload a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, according to the affidavit. The woman reportedly did so, returning the weapon to the bedroom closet.
About 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Scriven returned to the house and was reportedly told by Timothy that Melissa had gone to the store, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said Timothy asked her to watch the children while he cleaned the mess they made. She said she took them outside and waited until Melissa's parents arrived, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said that Melissa would rarely, if ever, leave the children alone with Timothy, according to the affidavit.
She also said that she gave Timothy a ride to a location in north Casper on Sunday, where he got out of the vehicle and was not seen again, according to the affidavit.
Neighbors, Children
Tuma also interviewed a neighbor, who saw police and Metro Animal Control officers come to the Martinez house at 8:30 a.m. in response to an animal complaint, according to the affidavit.
But after the officers left, the neighbor noticed movement in the kitchen through the front window, and saw Timothy take down the curtains and clean the kitchen, something she never saw before, according to the affidavit.
Other neighbors said that Timothy and Melissa were constantly arguing and fighting, and that the couple blamed the discord on drug use, according to the affidavit.
Police responses to the Martinez's residence had been frequent, according to a Web site listing Casper Police Department calls. Police had responded to the residence Saturday for a vandalism report, according to the Web site. Other reports included an assault in June, a disturbance in July, lost property in June and July, stalking in August, and welfare checks in November 2002, and February and July.
Baker said Monday that the couple had no apparent history of domestic violence, but the affidavit reported that Melissa filed for a protection order earlier this year, according to the affidavit, citing an interview with her parents.
On Monday, two child forensic interviewers with the Department of Family Services conducted separate interviews with two children whose identities were not disclosed in the affidavit.
One child said that Timothy and Melissa became involved in an argument, that Melissa had been "harmed by a gun," and that Timothy had been cleaning blood at the residence, according to the affidavit.
The other child said that he saw Timothy shoot Melissa in the face with a gun, according to the affidavit.
On Monday, police searched the Martinez's residence and found Melissa's body hidden in the house, and that she "had died of apparent head trauma," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit does not state exactly where in the house police found her body, or pinpoint a time of death.
Police also found a Remington 12-gauge shotgun with a large amount of blood on it, according to the affidavit.
The last paragraph of the affidavit recounts a detective's interview of two women who said another woman had been romantically involved with Timothy Martinez.
Melissa reportedly knew about the affair, and told the woman in August to stop seeing Timothy, the women told police. They also reported that the woman physically assaulted Melissa two days later, according to the affidavit.
"In those same conversations, both individuals stated that (the woman) repeatedly said that it was not only her desire but the desire of Timothy Martinez that Melissa Martinez be killed so the two of them could be together," according to the affidavit.
© Casper Star Tribune September 10, 2003
Timothy Martinez was sentenced to life without parole.
Authorities believe Timothy Martinez killed Melissa Martinez with a shotgun early Sunday.
After looking for him for two days, police received a tip about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday that Martinez was at a residence in north Casper, Baker said.
Four officers went to the residence and found him asleep in a bed, he said. "He was arrested without incident."
Martinez, 26, was charged with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the 7th District Attorney's Office. If convicted, Martinez faces possible penalties of life in prison, life in prison without parole, or the death penalty.
Martinez probably will make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court today, said Assistant District Attorney Mike Blonigen, who also filed the criminal information document with the clerk of Natrona County Circuit Court.
His wife, who was in the process of leaving Martinez, was found dead about 5 p.m. Monday in their house at 1135 E. 23rd St., Baker said.
The couple had two children - a boy, 2, and a girl, 4 - who are in the care of Melissa's parents, Baker said.
Melissa Missing
Melissa Marie Martinez's parents reported her missing at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the affidavit.
Her parents called her Saturday to tell her they would leave their home in Sinclair at 9 a.m. Sunday to help her move out of her house, which the Martinezes bought last year, according to the affidavit.
But Melissa was not there when they arrived, according to the affidavit.
They spoke with Timothy, who was cleaning the walls in the kitchen with bleach, and he told them that Melissa had gone to the store and that their two children were at a neighbor's residence a block away, according to the affidavit.
Her parents also expressed concern for Melissa's safety because of threats made by friends of hers and Timothy's against them, according to the affidavit.
When police interviewed Timothy at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, he told officers that his wife left earlier that morning in his pickup truck to go to the store, according to the affidavit.
Officers also asked him if they could search his residence. He consented and they went inside, where they reportedly saw him washing the walls. He also admitted to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine, according to the affidavit.
One of the officers also asked Timothy to come to the Casper Police Department, where he spoke with Tuma about 3 p.m.
Timothy told Tuma about his activities on Saturday night, including that he got a motel room to stay in that night and asked but Melissa to join him but she declined. He went back to their house, entering through a window, and found Melissa with their children sleeping on the floor in front of the television, according to the affidavit.
He awakened her, and the two talked and then had sex, he told police. He was awakened the next morning by Melissa, who he said had showered and asked him to move the U-Haul truck so she could use the van to go to the store, he reported to police. He didn't want to get up, so he let her use his truck, he reportedly told police.
He said she went to the store, and that while he slept the children made a mess with chocolate milk that he had to clean. He asked her cousin, Melissa Scriven, if she could watch the children while he cleaned, according to the affidavit's account of the interview with Timothy.
Timothy also reportedly told Tuma that he was high on methamphetamine, and his drug problem was the cause of their marital difficulties, according to the affidavit.
Police charged Timothy Martinez with possession of methamphetamine at that time, Baker said.
Tuma and other officers also interviewed Scriven.
The two were together Saturday night until about midnight, and Scriven recalled Melissa saying she was afraid that Timothy and his friends might break into the house and steal her property and possibly hurt her, according to the affidavit.
Melissa also asked her cousin to unload a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, according to the affidavit. The woman reportedly did so, returning the weapon to the bedroom closet.
About 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Scriven returned to the house and was reportedly told by Timothy that Melissa had gone to the store, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said Timothy asked her to watch the children while he cleaned the mess they made. She said she took them outside and waited until Melissa's parents arrived, according to the affidavit.
Scriven said that Melissa would rarely, if ever, leave the children alone with Timothy, according to the affidavit.
She also said that she gave Timothy a ride to a location in north Casper on Sunday, where he got out of the vehicle and was not seen again, according to the affidavit.
Neighbors, Children
Tuma also interviewed a neighbor, who saw police and Metro Animal Control officers come to the Martinez house at 8:30 a.m. in response to an animal complaint, according to the affidavit.
But after the officers left, the neighbor noticed movement in the kitchen through the front window, and saw Timothy take down the curtains and clean the kitchen, something she never saw before, according to the affidavit.
Other neighbors said that Timothy and Melissa were constantly arguing and fighting, and that the couple blamed the discord on drug use, according to the affidavit.
Police responses to the Martinez's residence had been frequent, according to a Web site listing Casper Police Department calls. Police had responded to the residence Saturday for a vandalism report, according to the Web site. Other reports included an assault in June, a disturbance in July, lost property in June and July, stalking in August, and welfare checks in November 2002, and February and July.
Baker said Monday that the couple had no apparent history of domestic violence, but the affidavit reported that Melissa filed for a protection order earlier this year, according to the affidavit, citing an interview with her parents.
On Monday, two child forensic interviewers with the Department of Family Services conducted separate interviews with two children whose identities were not disclosed in the affidavit.
One child said that Timothy and Melissa became involved in an argument, that Melissa had been "harmed by a gun," and that Timothy had been cleaning blood at the residence, according to the affidavit.
The other child said that he saw Timothy shoot Melissa in the face with a gun, according to the affidavit.
On Monday, police searched the Martinez's residence and found Melissa's body hidden in the house, and that she "had died of apparent head trauma," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit does not state exactly where in the house police found her body, or pinpoint a time of death.
Police also found a Remington 12-gauge shotgun with a large amount of blood on it, according to the affidavit.
The last paragraph of the affidavit recounts a detective's interview of two women who said another woman had been romantically involved with Timothy Martinez.
Melissa reportedly knew about the affair, and told the woman in August to stop seeing Timothy, the women told police. They also reported that the woman physically assaulted Melissa two days later, according to the affidavit.
"In those same conversations, both individuals stated that (the woman) repeatedly said that it was not only her desire but the desire of Timothy Martinez that Melissa Martinez be killed so the two of them could be together," according to the affidavit.
© Casper Star Tribune September 10, 2003
Timothy Martinez was sentenced to life without parole.
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