Post by Scumhunter on Jan 14, 2015 8:22:41 GMT -5
PUEBLO, Colo. - Pueblo police said a pregnant woman who was last seen a week ago was found dead at an apartment she shared with her boyfriend.
Police found the body of Phenia Martinez, 25, on Monday night at the Bethlehem Square housing complex in the 1900 block of West 13th Street.
The boyfriend, Joseph Romero, 56, is being sought by authorities on suspicion of second-degree murder.
"We've had trouble with him before," said Sgt. Eric Gonzales without specifying the nature of that trouble. "The crime isn't first-degree murder because there's no evidence yet that it was planned."
KRDO NewsChannel 13 looked into Romero's criminal history and found a series of restraining orders against him by another female. Romero was also sentenced to eight years in prison in 1995 for attempted murder and four years in prison in 2005 for burglary.
Gonzales said it's unclear whether Romero will be charged in the death of the unborn child. Martinez was eight months pregnant when she disappeared.
Victor Reyes, former Pueblo District judge, told KRDO that, depending on the evidence, Romero could face a charge of unlawful termination of a pregnancy, a relatively new law in Colorado, signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper in June 2013.
"That is a crime of violence," Reyes said. "It's also what's called an extraordinary risk crime that could carry up to 48 years in the Department of Corrections."
Reyes also added that the death of a pregnant woman is an aggravator for the death penalty in Colorado.
Police believe the preliminary cause of death is homicide, pending an autopsy on Wednesday by the Pueblo County Coroner's Office. It's the city's first homicide of 2015.
Martinez was last seen at her home on Jan. 5, police said, and also missed a doctor's appointment and didn't pick up her two children from school that day.
Daniel and Paula Sanchez were at the complex Tuesday checking on an elderly uncle who lives in the unit above Martinez and Romero.
"He said he just saw a lot of cops going in and out," Daniel Sanchez said of his uncle. "He didn't talk much with (the suspect and victim). He said they kept to themselves."
Paula Sanchez said the loss of Martinez's unborn child makes the situation especially tragic.
"It's really sad to know she was pregnant," she said. "Our daughter was just in that situation. She had a baby but lost the baby."
Gonzales said it took police several days to obtain a search warrant because none of Martinez' relatives had access to her apartment.
Police have an arrest warrant out for Romero, and consider him armed and dangerous.
If you see him or know where he may be, call Pueblo Crime Stoppers at (719) 542-STOP.
www.krdo.com/news/missing-pueblo-woman-found-dead/30678092
www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-pregnant-woman-found-dead-boyfriend-sought/