Victoria Martens, a 10-year-old girl from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was tragically murdered on August 24, 2016. Her mother, Michelle Martens, and two others, Fabian Gonzales and Jessica Kelley, were arrested on charges including first-degree murder, child abuse, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Despite initially pleading not guilty, Michelle Martens later changed her plea in 2018.
**Circumstances of Death:**
Victoria Martens was born in 2006 and attended Petroglyph Elementary School. Michelle Martens, her mother, had no prior criminal record but confessed to disturbing actions, including seeking men online for sexual acts involving her two children. Despite calls to the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department, the tragic events unfolded. The crime involved Jessica Kelley carrying Victoria to an apartment, where she was later found dismembered, sexually assaulted, strangled, and set on fire.
**Investigation and Trial:**
The three suspects faced charges in Victoria's murder, with a $1 million cash-only bond each. Michelle Martens accepted a plea bargain for child abuse resulting in death in 2018. However, discrepancies emerged during the trial, leading to dropped charges against Gonzales. The timeline presented suggested Martens and Gonzales were not present during the murder. Michelle Martens received a 12-year prison sentence, while Gonzales and Kelley's trials were postponed until 2022.
**Internal Investigation of Albuquerque Police Department:**
An internal investigation by the Civilian Police Oversight Agency revealed false information provided by a spokesperson from the Albuquerque Police Department regarding their response to CYFD referrals concerning Victoria Martens. Despite evidence of misinformation, Chief of Police Gorden Eden reduced the recommended two-week suspension for the officer to one day, citing a lack of intentional deception. This decision sparked a disagreement and is set to be reviewed by an independent monitor overseeing the department's reform.
In summary, the heartbreaking case of Victoria Martens involved not only the horrifying circumstances of her death but also revealed issues within the Albuquerque Police Department's handling of the case, adding complexity to an already devastating tragedy.
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