On an autumn day in a quiet suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah, the life of 42-year-old Hispanic female, Lauren Martinez, was tragically cut short. On October 30, 1994, in the town of Bluffdale, a horrific event unfolded within the walls of her own home, a place that should have been a sanctuary. It was there that she and her 10-year-old daughter, Alexis "Lexie" Martinez, were killed as they slept in their beds.
The perpetrator of this shocking act was a member of their own family: Lauren's
17-year-old stepson, Nathan K. Martinez. In what was described as a spontaneous and horrific decision, Nathan shot his stepmother and then his half-sister. The motive behind the killings was not entirely clear, though there was speculation at the time that the movie "Natural Born Killers," which Nathan had reportedly seen multiple times, may have been an influence. However, Nathan himself did not attribute his actions to the film. He later recounted that he had intended to run away that night and went into his stepmother's room to take cash and credit cards. When she woke up, he shot her.
Following the murders, Nathan fled and was arrested three days later in Nebraska. He was charged with two counts of capital murder. To avoid a potential death penalty, Nathan pleaded guilty to the crimes. He was sentenced to two concurrent life terms in prison with the possibility of parole. After serving over two decades in the Utah State Prison, during which he reportedly had no disciplinary violations, Nathan K. Martinez was granted parole and was set to be released in May 2018. The decision came after a parole hearing where his father, and Lauren's husband, advocated for his son's release, stating his belief that his son had changed.
