Private Investigator Says He’s Uncovered Other Leads In Marmolejo Case

The court-appointed private investigator in David Marmolejo’s case claims he uncovered more than three leads, that, if followed, may prove Marmolejo did not kill his mother, Gloria.

Gloria Marmolejo’s body was found in the Santa Teresa Desert in the summer of 2009. Her face was buried in the sand, her head wrapped in plastic and her shirt pulled up.

For days before the gruesome discovery, her son, David Marmolejo, mourned his mother in front of relatives, and in a news conference with media, in which his family asked for assistance in finding her.

El Paso Police later charged him with murder, and in his first trial, prosecutors argued he killed his mother because she disapproved of his romantic relationship with his significantly younger stepsister, Mariah Wilson.

Wilson was granted immunity for her testimony in the case against Marmolejo. She told jurors she saw Marmolejo hide his mother’s body in the desert and that he described to her how he killed Gloria.

The prosecution’s case revolved mostly around phone records of that night that indicated Marmolejo’s proximity to the place Gloria was dumped and Wilson’s testimony.

Wilson gave five statements to police. They were never made public in court, but she did admit to lying in four of them.

“Mariah made five statements, each one different, if i wasn’t convinced that David didn’t do it, that fifth one convinced me that he didn’t do it”, said Ramon Ortega, the court-appointed private investigator in Marmolejo’s case.

It’s not uncommon for the judge to appoint an independent investigator for the defense in complicated murder cases.

Ortega was a special agent for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Unit for more than 20 years, before he became a private investigator more than two decades ago.

He said that in his experience with being on the prosecuting side, it’s not uncommon for law enforcement and prosecutors to get tunnel vision when pursuing these cases.

“You’re going to get caught up in a situation where you find yourself evidence to prove that who you think did it, actually did it, instead of following the evidence”, Ortega said.

The private eye also said that in the months of investigation, he uncovered ‘3 to 4’ leads that point to other suspects in the murder of Gloria Marmolejo.

“Through my own independent investigation, I have a possibility that there’s 3 or more other suspects, other leads that may show, that maybe she actually went out, let’s say she went out to the grocery store or to the ATM and got kidnapped and got killed.”

He said Gloria Marmolejo was known to never carry large sums of money, and often went to the ATM.

“I have four leads that show there’s a possibility that maybe someone else did it…what i see as leads, may not be seen by the attorney or the judge as sufficient enough to spend the money on”, he said.

According to Ortega, in the last trial, 11 jurors found Davidnot guilty, while one found David guilty.

Ortega said he did $10,000 worth of work, but the court could only pay him half of that. He wants to pursue the other leads but says he needs man-power and money and is looking for volunteers.

If you’d like to contact Ortega, call 915-727-2905.

Ortega said that he wants to turn his detective agency, Stecristom, into a pro-bono endeavor, with Marmolejo being his first case, if he can get volunteers.

He said the volunteers could gain experience to later open their own detective agency and that he is willing to license them.

A police spokesman declined to comment on their murder investigation procedures because it would be tied to this story, and Judge Gonzalo Garcia issued a gag order.

Marmolejo’s attorney has requested a change of venue, citing overt media exposure, for the next trial.

A date and place has not been set for the new trial.