A Florida man who reported his girlfriend missing is now facing a murder charge after investigators discovered her body in a canal, authorities say.
Saul Garcia-Gonzalez, 40, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 37-year-old Nerida Martel, according to a Nov. 27 press release from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Martel’s body was found floating in a canal near SW 168 Street and SW 205 Avenue around 3:40 p.m. on Oct. 11, just days after Garcia allegedly reported her missing, per the release.
Investigators connected Garcia to the crime after cell phone data allegedly showed him traveling to and from the canal area, according to an arrest affidavit cited by NBC Miami. Surveillance footage also captured his vehicle in the vicinity, WPLG Local 10 reported.
Garcia allegedly gave conflicting statements about when he last saw Martel. He reportedly told investigators he had seen her at home before taking their 2-year-old daughter to daycare. Authorities say he also told a family friend that he left Martel at a bus stop for work on Oct. 6 — though she never arrived — and suggested she might be in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, CBS News reported.
Witnesses told investigators that Martel had previously spoken about Garcia’s alleged verbal abuse and had asked a friend for a place to stay the day before she disappeared, according to the affidavit cited by WPLG. Authorities believe this indicated she wanted to end the relationship, CBS News reported.
The Medical Examiner’s Office determined on Nov. 25 that Martel died from a gunshot wound to the head and ruled her death a homicide, WPLG reported.
Garcia was arrested on Nov. 26. “Through investigative means, MDSO Homicide Bureau detectives were able to determine that the victim had been murdered by the subject,” the sheriff’s office said in its release.
After his arrest, Garcia denied killing Martel and waived his right to legal counsel, according to CBS News.
A judge ordered Garcia held without bond during his court appearance on Thursday, NBC Miami reported.
