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Gallup murder suspect jailed

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A Gallup man remained jailed March 17 at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on a $25,000 cash bond that relates to murder and tampering with evidence charges, according to an arrest warrant.

According to the warrant, Daniel Martinez, 42, who goes by various aliases, such as “’Artemo’ or ‘Artemio’... did kill Jose Alfredo Morales and did destroy hide or place with the intent to prevent apprehension or prosecution, “ the arrest affidavit, in part, reads.

Both crimes are felonies and punishable by life in prison taken together. The matter stems from a Nov. 9 incident in which a relative went to the trailer home of Morales located at Chaparral Mobile Home Park, 1501 W. Aztec Ave., and observed Morales in his bedroom and that he wasn’t moving. He was covered in blankets and was lying in a pool of his own blood. The Office of the Medical Investigator confirmed that he had been deceased for nearly a week.

According to an an eyewitness report, on Nov . 3, Morales was walking by Martinez, who was parked in front of his trailer. Morales allegedly got into a “verbal confrontation about ‘Artemo’s’ dogs’” that were his car when Martinez struck Morales in the head, causing him to fall backwards and hit the back of his head on the sidewalk.

The eyewitness, seeing what happened, helped Martinez carry Morales into his trailer and onto to the couch, where he likely died from his injuries. No one called paramedics. And when his body was discovered, it was apparent that he was moved to the bedroom, according to the forensic report. The arrest warrant suggests that Martinez went back to the home to move and cover Morales’ body with blankets in an attempt to conceal the incident.

There was no listing of an attorney in jail records for Martinez, who has about 10 aliases that he goes by, and is a known drug dealer, Gallup Police Department public information officer Capt. Marinda Spencer referenced from the arrest warrant.

By Bernie Dotson

Sun Correspondent