A Miami-Dade man who tried to convince friends that federal immigration agents had seized his missing girlfriend is now behind bars, accused of shooting her in the head and dumping her body in a nearby waterway.
Saul Garcia Gonzalez, 40, was denied bond last week on a second-degree murder charge following the death of 37-year-old Nerida Martel. Her body was discovered on October 11 in a canal just three blocks from the home she shared with Gonzalez.
While Gonzalez reported Martel missing on October 6, detectives say his story began to unravel quickly. According to arrest documents, Gonzalez offered conflicting accounts of the last time he saw her.
He reportedly told investigators that Martel was finding her own ride to work while he took their 2-year-old daughter to daycare. However, he told a family friend a different story: that Martel was likely in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Digital evidence ultimately undermined his claims. Police say cell phone records place Martel’s phone at the couple’s home while Gonzalez was dropping off their daughter.
The data then showed Gonzalez’s phone traveling to the canal, returning home, and then going back to the canal—this time with Martel’s device, which was subsequently powered off.
Investigators believe Martel was attempting to leave the relationship prior to her death. Friends told police she had complained of verbal abuse and was seeking a place to stay specifically for herself and her daughter.
According to NBC Miami, Gonzalez was arrested on Wednesday at a local shopping center. The couple’s 2-year-old daughter is currently in the custody of the Department of Children and Families.
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