Update: Mother accused in stabbing death of husband, children pleads guilty

Update

Isabel Martinez has pled guilty but mentally ill in the July 2017 murder of her husband and four of her five children, according to the AJC. She stabbed all five of the children, but one, Diana Romera, who was 9 at the time, survived.

Update:

Gwinnett County Police Department announced that Isabel Martinez, has been arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail where she is currently being held with no bond.  She has been charged with five counts of Murder, five counts of Malice Murder, and six counts of Aggravated Assault.  She is also being held for ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The stabbing victim who survived is Diana Romera, 9, who police say is currently in serious, but stable condition at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The deceased victims have been identified as:

*   •      Martin Romero, age 33
*   •      Isabela Martinez, age 10
*   •      Dacota Romero, age 7
*   •      Dillan Romero, age 4
*   •      Axel Romero, age 2
“We continue to pray for Diana’s recovery both physically and emotionally as she learns about what happened to her father and siblings. Though Isabel has been cooperative with the investigators, the motive for the crimes is not being released,” GCPD said in a press release update.

Update:

Gwinnett County Police Department report that all the children belonged to the suspect in the case and appear to be under the age of 10. The male victim, who the suspect claims was the father of the children, was in his mid-30s.  Police do not have information on the condition of the child who survived.

Update:

The Gwinnett County Police Department Homicide Unit is investigating the death of 5 people and serious injury of another inside a Loganville area home in Gwinnett County overnight. GCPD report that the call came in at 4:47 a.m. on July 6, 2017 from an adult female inside 509 Emory Lane in unincorporated Loganville.

“When first responding officers and members of the Gwinnett County Fire Department arrived, they found an adult male and four young children deceased.  Fortunately, they found one additional child who was still alive suffering from serious injuries.  That child was immediately taken to a local hospital.  His/her current condition is unknown,” Cpl. Michelle Pihera said in a press release.

Pihera said it appeared as though the victims had been stabbed. The wife of the man, who is reported to be mother of the children, was immediately taken into custody and taken to GCPD headquarters for an interview. Details of that interview are not available at this time. Pihera said the wife/mother was immediately detained.  She has been taken to Gwinnett County Police Headquarters for an interview. Details of the interview are not being released at this time. It is unknown if the adult male victim was the biological father to the children, but police believe the family all lived together at the house.

The investigation is currently under way and the victims are all still inside the home. After the crime scene has been processed, the Medical Examiner’s Office will remove the bodies for autopsies and official causes of death to be established.

“What prompts a person to take the life of such innocent children and her spouse is something we may never understand,” Pihera said in the release. “This is a horrendous crime not only for the victims but for the extended family, neighborhood and community.  We are hoping and praying that the remaining victim survives his/her injuries and makes a full recovery.”

Initial story

The Gwinnett County Police Department announced it is currently at the scene of a  home on Emory Lane (Midway Road) in the Loganville area of Gwinnett County after being called out on a stabbing call.

“When officers arrived, they found one adult male and several children deceased. An adult female has been detained,” said Cpl. Michele Pihera, public information officer with GCPD. “Specifics on the ages of the children or a motive for this horrendous crime is still unknown.  Homicide detectives and the Crime Scene Unit have been dispatched.”

GCPD that four children died in the incident and a fifth child has been transported to a hospital in a serious condition. The person detained is the wife of the man and mother of the children who were killed.