In the early morning hours of February 2, 2018, the life of 20-year-old Francisco Martinez of Fort Hall, Idaho, was tragically cut short. Emergency crews responded to a house fire on B Street in the Fort Hall Townsite around 5:00 a.m. and discovered his body within the burned residence. Initially reported as a fire, the incident was soon revealed to be a homicide, prompting an investigation by the Fort Hall Police Department and the FBI.
Francisco, known affectionately as "Cisco," was a Hispanic male who was born and raised in the Pocatello and Fort Hall area. He was a father to a young son and was remembered by his family as a happy-go-lucky person with a big, cheesy smile who loved his family, boxing, being outdoors, and helping people. His family was left devastated and in disbelief by his sudden and violent death.
The investigation into Francisco's death quickly led to a person of interest. Rydon Teton, also known as Rydon Dixey, a 32-year-old from Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was taken into custody the day after the fire. Teton was held at the Fort Hall Jail in connection with Martinez's death and on a tribal warrant for unlawful use of a weapon. While an arrest was made, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire and Francisco Martinez's death remained ongoing. In a strange turn of events, a second fire was reported at the same residence a week after Francisco's body was found.
