Arraignment set for Monday in Othello double murder

RITZVILLE — An Othello man illegally in the U.S. was charged Tuesday in connection with the murders of an Othello mother and daughter.

Mauricio Nava-Garibay, 28, was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree murder without premeditation, both with domestic violence enhancements. His arraignment is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at the Adams County Superior Courthouse in Ritzville. He is being held in the Adams County Jail on $1 million bail.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer with the jail Friday.

He is accused of murdering Dora Elia Martinez, 57, and her daughter Guadalupe Martinez, 30, the night of Jan. 27 in their home on East Cypress Street in Othello. The bodies were discovered the next morning in Dora Martinez’ car in the 2200 block of West Charla Lane.

Adams County Sheriff’s deputies found the bodies, which had been dismembered, after someone called dispatch about the abandoned 2014 Honda Accord, which was registered to Dora Martinez, records stated. On part of the cloth surrounding the bodies was written “vomito 13.”

A man at the scene was later identified as Nava-Garibay, and he was allegedly on surveillance camera footage, according to court documents. He allegedly was in a relationship with Dora Martinez.

Deputies contacted Nava-Garibay, who agreed to talk to them, according to court documents.

Nava-Garibay allegedly told deputies he got in a fight with Dora Martinez, who then hit him. He allegedly lured her to the garage of her home and the backseat of her car, where he stabbed and strangled her. Guadalupe Martinez came into the garage, and Nava-Garibay allegedly pushed her down and stabbed her. Court documents said Guadalupe Martinez was autistic.

Nava-Garibay allegedly told deputies he dismembered the bodies because they were too heavy to lift. He disposed of the clothes he was wearing, and the knife he allegedly used, after leaving the car on West Charla Lane. The clothes and knife were later recovered by sheriff’s deputies on the 2000 block of West Bench Road.