ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Santiago Martinez, 29, of Taos, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, appeared for a preliminary hearing in federal court today where he was charged with murder in Indian Country. Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, Santiago and the victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, allegedly had been drinking and began to argue. The complaint alleges that Martinez assaulted Jane Doe and ran over her with her own vehicle.
FBI special agents, with the assistance of the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety and Taos Police Department, arrested Martinez without incident in Taos Pueblo on Nov. 22.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Martinez faces life in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Aliberti is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
