A Durango man suspected of strangling his wife last year in the Lightner Creek Mobile Home Park is scheduled to face trial in two weeks.
Silvino Martinez-Perez is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Crystal Martinez-Perez, 33, on April 16, 2017, in unit No. 7 at the mobile home park, 907 Lightner Creek Road (County Road 207).
On Friday, during a status conference, prosecutor Richard Schmittel replayed the 911 call Martinez-Perez made on the morning of April 17.
“I just killed my wife,” Martinez-Perez calmly told the dispatcher. “We were having an argument. ... I choked her.”
He later told investigators with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office that the couple was having marital problems.
The night of the incident, they had a lengthy argument that ended with him putting his wife in a choke hold, causing her to pass out, he told investigators.
He then used his hands to strangle her on the floor in the living room.
Martinez-Perez went on to explain that after trying unsuccessfully to revive his wife by performing CPR, he had intercourse with her body, dressed her and called his sister and then 911.
The couple had three children – a girl and two boys younger than 10 – who were asleep in the house the night of the incident.
Martinez-Perez also faces charges of three counts of child abuse and one count of abusing a corpse.
District Judge Suzanne Carlson will oversee the five- to seven-day jury trial starting April 9.
Prosecutors must prove premeditation for someone to be found guilty of first-degree murder.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
