Update | Kennewick murder victim ‘lived in fear’ of 73-year-old husband’s growing paranoia
Problems between a 73-year-old murder suspect and his wife had been brewing for some time, family members told police.
They believed Leroy N. Martin had the onset of dementia. And his paranoia drove him to nail shut the door on their Kennewick home so his wife, Susan Martin, couldn’t leave because he believed she had a boyfriend.
He’s accused of killing his 66-year-old wife this week and is being held at the Benton County jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. She was found Tuesday at their home by their daughter, along with Leroy Martin.
He made his first appearance in Benton County Superior Court on Wednesday, walking in with a cane and leaning on nearby furniture to steady himself.
Prosecutors asked for $500,000 bail based on the nature of the allegation, and a criminal history from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
Online court records show Leroy Martin served about two years in jail for felony burglary/breaking and entering in Kootenai, Idaho, in the early 1980s.
Judge Jackie Stam agreed to that amount but said defense attorneys could raise the issue at another hearing.
According to court records, the Martins’ daughter found her mother in the bathroom of an apartment in an outbuilding in the backyard of 3904 W. Seventh Ave. She called 911 about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
When officers arrived they found Susan Martin with blood on her neck and down her front.
Police and then firefighters performed CPR, and moved her to the living room, but they weren’t able to revive her.
A fire captain noticed there was a steak knife with blood on it in the kitchen, and that she had been stabbed at least twice.
Leroy Martin was in the house at the time with a small wound on his head and small patches of blood on his hands and under his fingernails.
Family members thought the wound on his head may have been self-inflicted.
Turbulent relationship
Leroy and Susan Martin’s relationship had been turbulent recently, according to court documents. There had been arguing and screaming and he called her names.
“They report Susan has lived in fear of Leroy and a family friend had told them that she believed that Leroy was going to kill Susan,” court documents stated.
People last saw Susan Martin about 3 p.m. Monday, and they knew she went to the Moose Lodge for bingo and normally got home around 9 p.m.
Leroy Martin told police he was angry about some missing coins and believed that Susan Martin and the neighbor had stolen them, according to court documents. That prompted an argument, which ended when they went to bed.
He woke up in the morning of Aug. 30 and started arguing with her again.
He claimed she hit him with a frying pan, and then he grabbed it and hit her. He denied a knife was involved.
