Nerida Martel Obituary, Death; – A man from Florida who initially reported his girlfriend as missing has now been charged with murder following the discovery of her body in a canal.
Saul Garcia-Gonzalez, aged 40, is facing a second-degree murder charge related to the death of 37-year-old Nerida Martel, as stated by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in a press release dated Nov. 27.
Martel’s body was located floating in a canal near SW 168 Street and SW 205 Avenue at approximately 3:40 p.m. on Oct. 11, just days after investigators allege that Garcia reported her missing, according to the release.
As per an arrest affidavit referenced by NBC Miami, investigators connected Garcia to the case after cell phone data purportedly indicated he traveled to and from the canal. Additionally, surveillance footage reportedly captured his vehicle in the vicinity, as reported by WPLG Local 10.
Garcia is said to have provided inconsistent statements regarding the last time he saw Martel, informing investigators that he had seen her at home prior to taking their 2-year-old daughter to daycare. He also allegedly mentioned to a family friend that he had left Martel at a bus stop for work on Oct. 6, despite her never arriving, and suggested that she might be in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to authorities, as reported by CBS News.
Witnesses indicated that Martel had previously expressed concerns about Garcia’s alleged verbal abuse and had requested a place to stay from a friend the day before her disappearance, as stated in the affidavit, according to WPLG. Authorities believe this suggests that Martel intended to “end the relationship,” as reported by CBS News.
The Medical Examiner’s Office concluded on Nov. 25 that Martel died from a gunshot wound to the head, classifying her death as a homicide, according to WPLG.
Garcia was taken into custody on Nov. 26. “Through investigative means, MDSO Homicide Bureau detectives were able to determine that the victim had been murdered by the subject,” the sheriff’s office asserted in the release.
