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PUEBLO, Colo. — Police in southern Colorado discovered a severed human hand in the pocket of a homicide suspect following his arrest in connection with the death of a woman found in a creek in Pueblo.
According to media reports, the woman's body was found in Fountain Creek on Jan. 10. The Pueblo Chieftain reported the woman had been decapitated.
"Police believe the hand belongs to the woman who was found dead in the creek," according to The Pueblo Chieftain.
The suspect was reportedly working for a private security firm owned by a former county sheriff.
Police searched the creek after a man who contacted them showed them a video of a decapitated body.
According to reports, the suspect, 26-year-old Solomon Martinez, was working security at an arts center in the city when he was arrested.
The owner of the security firm said the suspect had passed a background check and had worked for him for a brief time, according to Colorado Springs television station KRDO's report.
According to KRDO, Martinez told detectives that he had picked up the woman but said he dropped her off early in the morning of Jan. 8 and did not kill her.
The man's roommate told police that Martinez had asked him to dig a 10-foot hole, according to media reports.
According to The Pueblo Chieftain, Martinez denied to police any knowledge of a body and stated that he did not kill or dismember anyone.
When police asked Martinez why he had cuts on his wrists and hands, he initially said they were from Chihuahuas, but later said they were caused by small rocks while he was picking up after his dog, the affidavit alleges, according to The Pueblo Chieftain report.
According to jail records, Martinez is being held in the Pueblo County Jail for investigation of first-degree murder with bond currently set at $1 million cash.
