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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty for a Nebraska man charged with killing his mother, throwing his 5-year-old half brother in a river and leaving his 11-month-old half brother in a dumpster.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Monday that several aggravating factors exist in the case against Roberto Martinez-Marinero. Authorities say Martinez-Marinero surrendered to police Thursday and said he'd stabbed his mother, 45-year-old Jesus Ismenia Marinero. The 25-year-old man also said he had thrown Josue Ramirez-Marinero in the Elkhorn River and put Angel Ramirez-Marinero in the dumpster.
Authorities found a body Monday that investigators believe is Josue, but a forensic examination will be conducted for confirmation. The boy's family has been notified.
Angel was found bruised but alive Wednesday in the dumpster in La Vista. His mother's body was found Wednesday night in a southeast Omaha ditch. Kleine said she had been stabbed several times and struck in the head with a baseball bat.
Authorities had been searching for Josue in the Elkhorn River since last week.
Kleine said he believes Josue was alive when he was thrown into the river. Kleine said Josue was killed to eliminate a witness to Jesus Ismenia Marinero's homicide.
Martinez-Marinero faces with two counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping and weapons charges.
Gabriela Guevara, 24, whom investigators describe as Martinez-Marinero's girlfriend, has been arrested on charges of being an accessory to homicide.
Online court records don't list the names of attorneys who could be contacted to comment about the allegations against Guevara or Martinez-Marinero.
Kleine said the pair would make their initial appearances in court on Tuesday.
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