TOOELE, Utah (TCN) — A person of interest has been named after a 25-year-old sheriff’s deputy who had only been with the office for seven months was found dead in her home under “suspicious” circumstances.
According to KSL.com, Tooele Police Department officers went to Marbella Martinez’s home on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 1, to conduct a welfare check and found her deceased when they arrived.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the Tooele Police Department was “investigating her death as suspicious.”
KSL.com reports investigators identified Martinez’s father, Hector Martinez, as a person of interest in her death and are attempting to locate him.
Tooele Police Cpl. Colby Bentley said some details in Martinez’s death, including her age, stood out to detectives. He said, “Pretty quickly, any well-trained detective will be able to pick out some things that would automatically raise some red flags and some suspicion for us.”
Officials allegedly believe Martinez’s death was “targeted.”
Martinez joined the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer after being sworn in on Jan. 11. The sheriff’s office said Martinez “quickly demonstrated her commitment and passion for serving the community.”
Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said, “Deputy Martinez was a dedicated member of our Sheriff’s Office family. In her short time with us, she became a cherished friend and an integral part of our team. Her untimely and tragic death is a profound loss for us all.”