Update, Thursday afternoon: Helliono Martinez was safely located. For more, see https://www.pagosasun.com/stories/5-year-old-son-of-homicide-victim-safely-located,47367.
Original: The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office are jointly looking for the 5-year-old son of Chrystal Snow, who was murdered in Archuleta County on July 2.
On July 18, an endangered missing alert was issued for Helliono Martinez, a 5-year-old Hispanic male last seen with his 43-year-old father, Charles Christopher Martinez, on July 16.
According to a July 23 press release from the CBI, the pair were spotted in a gold 2011 Dodge Ram heading to the father’s home on U.S. 160 in Cortez.
Investigators have since located the truck, but have not been able to locate Helliono Martinez or his father, Charles Martinez, according to the agency.
According to Rob Low, strategic communications director for the CBI, the truck was located at Charles Martinez’s residence.
On July 16, the Department of Human Services obtained a court order granting the state of Colorado emergency custody of Helliono Martinez. That same day is when investigators learned Helliono Martinez was last seen with his father at around 1:30 in the afternoon, according to the July 23 press release.
“There is growing concern for the boy’s well-being and law enforcement is seeking the public’s help in finding Helliono Martinez,” it states.
Anyone who has seen Helliono Martinez and/or his father, Charles Martinez, is asked not to approach them but to immediately call 911 or the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 565-8452.
Charles Martinez is described as being a Hispanic male who is 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
According to the CBI and Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Snow (39, the mother of Helliono Martinez) was found shot to death in her home on the morning of July 2 soon after a 911 call was placed from her house in Pagosa Springs.
According to a July 2 ACSO press release, the ACSO was dispatched to a 911 open line in the 1000 block of County Road 700 at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2.
“Upon arrival on-scene, two Archuleta County Sheriff’s Deputies discovered a deceased female, age 39. The victim was shot during an apparent homicide,” the ACSO press release states.
The press released further notes the scene was immediately secured and the ACSO requested support from the CBI, with the CBI agreeing to be the lead investigative agency.
The victim was later identified as Snow.
According to a July 3 press release from the CBI, Snow died from multiple gunshot wounds.
“At this time investigators believe Snow called 911 shortly before she died from her injuries,” the July 3 press release states.
Hours later, investigators were able to locate Helliono Martinez alive with an aunt in Cortez, according to the July 23 press release from the CBI.
CBI has not named any persons of interest in the homicide of Snow.
