Six Years After A Pregnant Teen Went Missing In California, Police Say They Arrested Her Killer

For much than six years, a pregnant California teen has been missing, leaving down a way of unanswered questions. Now, investigators opportunity they person yet arrested who they allege is her killer.

Joshua Martinez, 28, was arrested March 12 and has been charged pinch execution successful nan 2019 disappearance of 16-year-old Victoria Marquina. Her assemblage has ne'er been found.

Martinez had antecedently been arrested successful relationship pinch Marquina’s disappearance but was released astatine nan clip owed to insufficient evidence, according to The Stockton Record. Authorities opportunity caller exertion and accusation developed wrong nan past twelvemonth helped lead to nan indictment.

Martinez appeared successful San Joaquin County Superior Court Monday wherever he was arraigned connected aggregate charges including murder, unlawful intercourse pinch a minor, oral copulation pinch a personification nether 18, and intersexual penetration pinch a minor, according to nan San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and nan Amador County District Attorney’s Office.

“Today marks nan opening of Victoria Marquina’s travel for justice,” Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe said astatine a property conference.

“This time would not beryllium imaginable without her mother’s unyielding love,” he added, referring to Marquina’s mother, who has not fixed up nan hunt for her daughter.

According to San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas, Marquina, of Sutter creek, was past seen live connected October 9, 2019, adjacent her workplace successful Amador County. Her mother reported her missing nan pursuing day.

Two days aft Marquina was reported missing, her achromatic Honda Accord was recovered abandoned adjacent Escalon successful San Joaquin County.

Marquina and Martinez, who met conscionable a period earlier her disappearance, had a very short relationship, Freitas said. Martinez was 21 years aged astatine nan time.

“They had met conscionable astir a period earlier her disappearance and she became pregnant,” Freitas said connected Monday. “It was a whirlwind, very accelerated relationship, and very short.”

Martinez fled to Mexico aft Marquina vanished, and was extradited backmost to nan U.S. earlier his first apprehension successful 2020, prosecutors said, according to NewsNation.

Freitas said Monday that his agency worked pinch aggregate agencies arsenic portion of a acold lawsuit task force, which yet uncovered caller leads.

“To nan family members of acold lawsuit victims, we will ne'er extremity successful nan pursuit of justice,” he said.

He would not spell into specifics astir what led them to nan arrest, but only attributed it to caller exertion and accusation became disposable successful nan past year.

Despite nan arrest, authorities opportunity nan lawsuit is acold from over.

Marquina’s remains person ne'er been recovered, and investigators are urging nan nationalist to travel guardant pinch immoderate information.

“Victoria is dead, and we are looking for her remains and nan remains of her unborn child,” Freitas said. “We request closure for nan family truthful anyone having that accusation of wherever her remains are, we’re asking them to travel forward.”

Following nan hearing, Freitas again called connected nan nationalist for thief arsenic investigators continued searching for answers.

“We want to bring closure to Victoria’s mother, let her to hide her kid and her grandchild,” Freitas said.

Martinez, who is being represented by attorneys Allen Sawyer and Kirk Holman, faces a maximum condemnation of life successful situation if convicted.

He remains successful custody astatine nan San Joaquin County Jail and is scheduled to return to tribunal April 6.