TUCSON, Ariz. — A man accused of killing his stepson by holding his head under hot water in an attempt to cast out a demon appeared in federal court on Tuesday.
31-year-old Pablo Martinez faces a first-degree federal murder charge in the death of his 6-year-old stepson, identified in court only by the initials G.B.
Martinez allegedly drowned his son in a bathtub at the family's home on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation in Tucson last Thursday. Martinez told reservation police that the boy had been having "fits of rage," which he believed were caused by a demon.
Martinez reportedly told police that the child was "demonic," and that he needed to save the boy. He allegedly said he "saw something evil in (the boy) and knew he had to cast the demon out."
Martinez offered to give the boy a bath. He allegedly told officers that he held the child's head under the faucet for five to ten minutes with the water running into the boy's mouth. He also allegedly told officers that he noticed that "the hot water was casting out the demon."
By treaty with the Pascua Yaqui Nation major crimes, there are Federal with the FBI leading many investigations. During his appearance in federal court Tuesday, attorneys did not argue for release on bond at this point. Attorneys said there is still a lot of information to gather yet and he might re-open that request sometime in the future.
This story was originally published by Craig Smith on KGUN in Tucson, Arizona.
