Dad Accused of Killing Daughter Was ‘Obsessed,’ Allegedly Acting Like a ‘Jealous Lover’

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A Utah father is on the run after allegedly killing his adult daughter. A police investigation is still trying to figure out what may have made him kill his daughter in the first place, but as details about their relationship emerge, it is clear that he had boundary issues that became dangerous.

Police claim that his interactions with his daughter had become more and more concerning in recent months as he continued to push the boundaries of a typical father-daughter relationship. He had been tracking his daughter, and sent a family member a cryptic text shortly after she was last seen. Local authorities are trying to bring him to justice.

His behavior was becoming increasingly concerning.

Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, the Utah father accused of killing his 25-year-old daughter Marbella Martinez, was allegedly becoming "increasingly obsessed and controlling" before his daughter's death, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by People.

In the affidavit, investigators said text messages sent by Martinez-Ayala were "more of the nature of a jealous lover than a father."

He was charged with multiple crimes, but no one knows where he is.

Authorities allege that Martinez-Ayala fled the country after killing Martinez.

On Friday, September 6, Martinez-Ayala was charged with murder, two counts of obstruction of justice, stalking a cohabitant, unlawful possession of a financial transaction card, unlawful use of a financial transaction card, and unlawful possession of another person's identifying documents.

Martinez was sworn in as a corrections officer with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office less than six months ago.

"We as a department are working with numerous agencies around the clock to bring Hector into custody for what he did," Tooele City Police Department Corporal Colbey Bentley told People. "We have confiscated numerous items of interest to Hector, including his vehicle. As we strive to give Deputy Marbella Martinez the justice she is owed, we plead with anyone who may have helpful information or who may be actively helping hide Hector to do the right thing and help us bring Hector into custody for what he did."

Martinez-Ayala's behavior before the killing was disturbing.

Police officers found Martinez's body around 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 1, in the home she shared with her father. Martinez was "lying on top of the bed, covered with a blanket up to her neck," according to the affidavit. She had been strangled.

In the affidavit, the authorities allege that Martinez-Ayala's behavior toward his daughter had become "increasingly troublesome," and that he had been showing stalking behavior for months. The prosecutors allege that Martinez found a bag of her underwear in her father's room, and that Martinez-Ayala had placed a tracking device on her vehicle.

Martinez-Ayala sent a cryptic text message before he disappeared.

In the affidavit, authorities claim Martinez-Ayala texted his brother hours after Martinez was last seen alive.

"My brother, you know much I love you, I made a big mistake, an unforgivable sin, now I’m too scared and I don’t know what to do. I think I will never come back," the text read.

Authorities allege that Martinez-Ayala then disposed of his daughter's cellphone before driving to Salt Lake City's airport. He flew to San Francisco and Houston, and used his brother’s identification “when he landed in another country and is seen on surveillance video,” the affidavit claims. "The defendant's whereabouts are unknown, but his last known location was outside of the United States."