Northern California suspect in homicides of 4 children, 2 women charged with

“Currently, he’s charged with two felony counts, the first is murder of Christopher Ripley, 2-years-old, last year, and the second is a child abuse count”, said Stanislaus County deputy district attorney John Goold. Crews worked as a doctor in HSA clinics, most recently in Modesto. She was loved as a mentor to the residents she taught.

Martin Martinez pleaded not guilty to killing the toddler but he has yet to be charged in this past weekend’s deaths of his 6-month-old daughter, his ex-girlfriend and her 6-year-old daughter, his mother and his 5-year-old niece.

The boy’s death required an investigation by a forensic specialist because of “the complexity of the case, especially with a child involved”, police said. “He had a head injury, ‘” Oldson said.

Before the discovery, Martinez was set to be charged in the death of Crews’ 2-year-old son, Christopher Ripley, who suffered head injuries and died in October. Martinez was arrested on Sunday in San Jose, Calif., for the murders of two women and three children in Modesto, Calif., on Saturday.

Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll has said police were about two weeks away from arresting Martinez in Christopher’s death when the weekend homicides occurred.

Police on Saturday night obtained a warrant for his arrest hours after discovering the five bodies. Officers saw Martinez exit a movie theater, where he had was watching a film with his father, according to police.

Officials confirmed that Martin Martinez, 30, was released from custody in the Santa Clara County Jail about 10 p.m. Wednesday and booked into Stanislaus County Jail. He said just a few words in court, acknowledging his name and birthdate, before his attorney entered a not guilty plea in the death of 2-year-old Christopher Ripley.