In the quiet outskirts of Aberdeen, Washington, a somber discovery was made on the evening of September 16, 2024. A passing driver noticed a black Ford Explorer parked suspiciously in a pullout near the intersection of East Wishkah Road and Bear Gulch Road and alerted authorities around 6:10 p.m. Responding deputies from the Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Office found 61-year-old Martin Morales-Sotelo, a Hispanic male, deceased inside the vehicle. An autopsy would later confirm that he had died from fatal gunshot wounds in what was determined to be a homicide. Investigators found no firearm at the scene, ruling out the possibility of suicide.
Morales-Sotelo had been a resident of the Grays Harbor area for about two decades, having moved there around 2004. For many years, he was a familiar face at Ocean Gold Seafoods in Westport, where he worked until 2020. More recently, he had been earning a living as a mechanic and by providing a transportation service for people traveling to rural areas to pick salal and mushrooms. In the year leading up to his death, Morales-Sotelo had been living in his other vehicle, a silver-colored Dodge Avenger, which was often parked in Aberdeen. The Ford Explorer in which he was found also belonged to him, a gift from another individual, which initially took some time for investigators to confirm. He is survived by his ex-wife and two adult daughters.
The investigation into the death of Martin Morales-Sotelo continued for over a month as detectives worked to piece together the events of that September day. They determined he was likely killed sometime between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The investigation involved processing the crime scene, interviewing potential witnesses, and reviewing surveillance footage from the area. With no obvious motive, authorities reached out to the public for any information regarding Morales-Sotelo's life or any conflicts he may have had.
A significant development in the case came on October 26, 2024. After a month-long search, the Grays Harbor Sheriff's Office arrested a suspect in connection with the homicide. 43-year-old Brandon Creech was taken into custody and booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. While an arrest has been made, the investigation remains active as authorities continue to seek a motive and further details surrounding the circumstances of Morales-Sotelo's death.
