Utah sheriff’s deputy stalked and killed by her father, prosecutors say

Before exiting the nation and withdrawing with his daughter's bank card, Hector Ramon Martinez-Ayala, 54, of Tooele texted his brother about committing “a big mistake”.  

Martinez became a Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office prison officer in January. The department posted her memorial on Facebook Thursday.  

She resided in Tooele, west of Salt Lake City, with her father until his obsessive texting, spying, and stalking forced her to a motel for a few days.  

The allegations claimed months of stalking and “text messages from the defendant to the victim are more of the nature of a jealous lover than a father.”   

Martinez found her underwear bag in his room, prosecutors alleged. In mid-July, he placed a monitoring device on her car while she was abroad and utilized it to find her.  

Investigators say her father strangled her when she returned home on July 31. Although property cameras were promptly removed or disconnected, Martinez-Ayala left digital footprints.  

I love you, brother, but I made an unforgivable mistake and am too terrified to do anything. The note added, "I think I will never come back," according to criminal documents.  

He flew to California and Texas before his cell records stopped, prosecutors said. He was then filmed using his brother's ID at customs in an unknown country.  

Martinez-Ayala faces murder, obstruction of justice, bank card fraud, stalking, and misdemeanor identity theft charges.  

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