A Colorado man who was found with a woman's severed hand in his pocket was found guilty of murdering her after a 14-day trial.
Solomon Martinez, 27, was arrested after his roommate contacted police about the death of Renee Portillos. Her remains were found in Fountain Creek in January 2024, with her head and hand severed from her body.
When police arrested Martinez, they found "a human hand inside a plastic bag" inside the pocket of his jacket, according to reporting by The Pueblo Chieftain. He later told police "the hand had been in his jacket for two days."
Additionally, there was overwhelming evidence against Martinez throughout the trial.
Law enforcement found both the victim and Martinez's DNA on a condom in Martinez's vehicle, and two witnesses came forward accusing Martinez of forcing them to help him dispose of Portillos's body at gunpoint. Martinez was also recorded telling his mother he committed the murder while in prison.
Martinez was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on Thursday to the relief of Portillos's family.
"I cried, and he deserves life (in prison)," Cathy Peralta, Portillos's sister, told the Chieftain. "He was an evil man, and hearing all the evidence, I couldn't believe how sick and demented he is. It's bittersweet, we can't get her back. But we finally got justice."
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
