Full Notification

NEWS RELEASE
Release Date: July 20, 2015
Modesto Police Department
Media Relations Unit
Office of the Chief of Police
600 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354
Author: Heather Graves

Modesto, CA – On July 18, 2015 at about 3:30 PM, a concerned friend called 911 to request a security check of a residence, after her friend did not show up for a meeting they had preplanned. Officers responded to the 2600 block of Nob Hill Court and discovered five deceased victims inside the home. The adult victims have been identified as 38-year-old Amanda Crews and 57-year-old Anna Brown Romero.

Detectives responded to the scene and began an extensive investigation where they identified Martin Martinez, 8/16/84, as a person of interest. Martinez and victim Crews had a prior relationship and were the biological parents of the 6-month-old victim. A broadcast was sent to law enforcement agencies statewide to assist with searching for Martinez. Several hours later he was detained by San Jose Police Department and subsequently arrested.

Martinez was under investigation for a prior homicide case involving the death of 2-year-old Christopher Ripley in October 2014. At that time, detectives were contacted by Child Protective Services after Christopher was admitted into an out-of-area hospital with possible brain injuries, and wasn’t expected to survive. Detectives working the case established Martinez lived in a home with Crews and her 2-year-old son, Christopher Ripley. Martinez was home alone with Christopher before he was rushed to the hospital. Due to the complexity of the case, especially with a child involved, the opinion of a forensic specialist examining evidence was required. On Thursday, July 16, 2015, detectives received verbal notification of the forensic specialist’s findings. Because of suspicions that Martinez is involved in the Nob Hill Court murders, and due to the concern for public safety, detectives sought an immediate arrest warrant of Martinez for the death of Christopher Ripley.

The Nob Hill Court investigation is still in the preliminary stages, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services is processing a tremendous amount of evidence collected at the scene, and detectives are speaking to witnesses, friends, and family of the victims. The events that transpired before the murders, as well as the cause of deaths are still being investigated and will not be released at this time. At this time, Martinez is a suspect in the Nob Hill Court homicides.

On behalf of the Modesto Police Department, Chief Galen Carroll would like to extend condolences to the family and friends coping with this tragic event.

Press conference provided by Chief Carroll https://youtu.be/QP2Ro4xMacI

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