The murder trial of Solomon Martinez, a Colorado man found with a dead woman’s severed hand in his coat pocket, has concluded with his conviction for her killing. Martinez, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased body, and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of 47-year-old Renee Portillos, whose remains were discovered near a creek in Pueblo in January 2024. Evidence presented during the 14-day trial, including testimony, phone records, location data, and autopsy results, all pointed to Martinez’s culpability, according to the Pueblo County 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Portillos’ decapitated remains were uncovered on January 10, 2024, following a tip from one of Martinez’s roommates to the Pueblo Police Department. When Martinez, a security guard, was apprehended, investigators found a human hand in a plastic bag inside his jacket pocket. Martinez later admitted in jail calls to his mother that he had killed Portillos. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Portillos’ sister, Cathy Peralta, expressed relief at the verdict, stating that while they cannot bring her sister back, they have achieved justice and Martinez must now face the consequences of his actions in prison.
