Parolee charged with elderly Riverside woman’s murder

RIVERSIDE — Officers who responded to a Riverside home to check on the welfare of an elderly woman found themselves in the middle of a murder investigation after finding the victim’s lifeless body early Tuesday morning, Feb. 12. A parolee has since been arrested for the woman’s murder, which happened at Silvercrest Senior Residence, in the 3000 block of Orange St., between 1st and Poplar streets.

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Although officials did not publicly identify the alleged suspect, RCNS located jail records that indicate detectives arrested Steve Anthony Martinez II, 38, for the victim’s murder. He was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of first degree murder, first degree burglary, and parole violations. He remains in custody and is being held without bail.

Riverside police officers were dispatched to the victim’s apartment around 2:41 a.m., “for a check the welfare call for service,” Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback later wrote in a press release.

“When they arrived, officers entered the apartment and located an elderly female victim who was unconscious with visible injuries,” Railsback explained.

Riverside Fire Department also responded to the residence and paramedics determined the elderly victim had sustained fatal injuries and pronounced the victim deceased.

A preliminary Coroner’s release indicated the victim, who has not yet been publicly identified pending further investigation and notification of the woman’s family, was injured at 8:49 p.m. and her time of death was listed as 3:19 a.m. Officials have not yet specified how they determined the time the victim sustained her fatal injuries.

Based on the circumstances, detectives with Riverside PD’s Robbery–Homicide Unit, along with specialists from the department’s Forensics Unit, responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

As their investigation was getting underway, officials identified and located what Railsback referred to as a “possible suspect.” That suspect, later identified as Martinez, was safely detained and later transported to the police station for further questioning. Jail records indicate he was arrested shortly before 7 p.m., that evening.

Riverside PD’s investigation is ongoing and officials have not released any further information or details.

Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to immediately contact Detective Dave Riedeman at (951) 353-7104 or by email, or Detective Jim Brandt at (951) 353-7137 or by email. Callers can refer to incident file number 190004826 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.