A 26-year-old security guard, Solomon Martinez, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to a gruesome homicide case involving a decapitated body.
The shocking incident unfolded on January 10, when police responded to a reported homicide near Fountain Creek, just south of Highway 47, as per Daily Mail.
Grisly Find in Martinez's Pocket
On the same day, the suspect, Martinez, was apprehended while on duty at the Sangre De Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo. According to court documents, a disturbing find was made during Martinez's arrest - a plastic bag containing a human hand was discovered in his pocket.
During the arrest, police observed a red-colored smear on Martinez's car, and his hands were found to be cut up. Martinez initially offered an explanation, attributing the cuts to his dog, but later claimed they resulted from picking up dog waste among rocks.
In a baffling twist, Martinez initially informed the police that someone had borrowed his car and may have been responsible for the woman's murder. However, when confronted with a photograph of the victim, he changed his narrative, admitting to hiring her as a prostitute on the night of January 8 and supposedly dropping her off between two and three in the morning.
Martinez allegedly turned to his roommate, Joshua Mazzurco, seeking assistance in disposing of the body. Mazzurco, recounting the horrifying encounter, stated that Martinez offered him $1,000 to dig a ten-foot hole. Despite the initial request, Martinez later claimed it was a joke.
Mazzurco, visibly shaken, expressed, "I was beyond terrified. Like, I can't even put into words how physically scared I was." Records indicate that Mazzurco did not assist Martinez, but he did witness him washing blood off his hands at a car wash, according to Hawaii News Now.
Sheriff Reacts to Security Guard's Arrest
Former Pueblo County Sheriff Dan Corsentino, owner of the security guard company employing Martinez, expressed shock at the revelations. Corsentino affirmed that Martinez had no criminal history and passed all background checks before being hired just two weeks before his arrest.
The victim, whose identity is yet to be disclosed by the Pueblo County coroner, was found dead at Fountain Creek with her head severed, according to court documents.
When Martinez was taken into custody, a police officer discovered a human hand inside a plastic bag in the left chest pocket of his jacket. Martinez claimed, "I had a hand in my jacket for two days," sparking further intrigue among investigators.
Authorities believe the severed hand belongs to the deceased woman found in the creek. Martinez, however, maintains that he hired her as a prostitute but denies involvement in her death or dismemberment.
Notably, someone associated with Martinez's roommate contacted the police, claiming to be a witness to the body being dumped in Fountain Creek on January 10. Martinez's roommate, Joshua Mazzurco, and his wife, who were living with Martinez, have not been charged or considered suspects in the woman's death.
Despite reaching out for comments, the Pueblo Police Department declined to provide any information on the ongoing investigation. Martinez is scheduled to appear in court on January 23, as indicated by an online court docket search. As of now, he has not entered a plea, and no legal representation has been listed.
Currently incarcerated at the Pueblo County jail, Martinez faces a daunting $1 million cash-only bond, Inside Edition reported.
