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Case Description

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Summary based on 8 sources
Vera Martin who went missing in October 1987 while under the care of Dorothea Puente, a notorious serial killer operating in Sacramento, California. Puente ran a boarding house where she preyed on vulnerable individuals, often elderly or disabled, by stealing their benefits and ultimately murdering them. Vera Martin, a 62-year-old female, was one of Puente’s victims, disappearing under suspicious circumstances.

Puente’s crimes came to light in November 1988 when authorities began investigating the disappearance of another tenant, Bert Montoya. During their search of Puente’s property, they discovered multiple bodies buried in her yard, revealing a pattern of systematic killings. Vera Martin, a 62-year-old woman, was among those who vanished while staying at Puente’s boarding house, though specific details about her death, including the exact circumstances and method, remain unclear.

Dorothea Puente was arrested in 1988 and later convicted of multiple murders. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her boarding house became infamous as the site of her gruesome crimes, and she was widely regarded as one of California’s most deceptive serial killers. Vera Martin, a 62-year-old female, was one of the many victims who fell prey to Puente’s manipulative and deadly schemes.