Guatemalan man brutally murders girlfriend, roommate in WA stabbing: prosecutors

King County prosecutors have charged 29-year-old Marvin Ortiz Montecinos, a Guatemalan man in the US illegally, with two counts of first-degree murder in the brutal killings of his girlfriend and roommate in a Burien, Washington apartment. Prosecutors allege that Ortiz Montecinos, who came to the US after leaving his wife and children behind in Guatemala, stabbed both women dozens of times with a filet knife on September 8, 2025, in an attack described as showing “deliberate cruelty.”

The victims were identified as Victoria Aparicio Cruz, Ortiz Montecinos’ girlfriend, and Yaneth Gomez-Hernandez, his roommate. Authorities say Victoria had recently broken off the relationship, and text messages show Ortiz Montecinos questioning her about the breakup just over an hour before the murders.

A spokesperson for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, "ICE filed an immigration detainer with the King County Jail for criminal alien Marvin Ortiz-Montesino, a 29-year-old Guatemalan national who is charged for committing two gruesome murders with deadly weapons by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office."

 

The spokesperson added, "Ortiz is alleged to be one of the worst of the worst criminal aliens who pose a threat to the security of our communities. ICE is putting the American people first by removing violent illegal alien offenders."

Charging documents obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI paint a harrowing picture of the violence inside Apartment #58 at the Montrose Apartments in Burien. Investigators said Victoria Aparicio Cruz sustained at least 20 stab wounds, including deep cuts to her jugular vein and carotid artery that proved fatal. Even after she was incapacitated, Ortiz allegedly inflicted several additional stab wounds to her back, including one just above her anus, suggesting postmortem violence.

Yaneth Gomez-Hernandez suffered over 40 stab wounds, including two separate slashes to her carotid artery, a cut that severed half her spinal cord, and a deep stab through her heart. She was found nude except for a towel partially covering her leg, indicating she may have been attacked while leaving the shower. Her phone was discovered in the bathroom.

Both women’s hands bore severe defensive wounds, evidence that they fought desperately to fend off the knife attack.

Detectives recovered a 7-inch filet knife buried in dirt near the apartment, which the medical examiner confirmed was consistent with the wounds inflicted on both victims. Forensic investigators also identified a single set of bloody footprints matching Ortiz Montecinos’ sandal, leading from the bedroom to the front door, undermining his claim that another man committed the murders.

Ortiz Montecinos was found outside the apartment complex with superficial stab wounds that prosecutors say were self-inflicted to stage an attack. He initially told police an unknown Black male had killed the women and stabbed him before fleeing. But investigators found no evidence of forced entry, no blood trail leading to or from the bathroom where he claimed the attacker hid, and only one set of footprints tied to Ortiz himself.

Prosecutors have requested $10 million bail, citing not only the severity of the crimes but also Ortiz Montecinos’ significant ties abroad. His wife and children currently live in Guatemala, along with several siblings. Detectives confirmed that at least one sibling was in Seattle on the day of the murders but returned to Guatemala shortly after, raising concerns that Ortiz Montecinos has the means to flee if released.

King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Thomas O’Ban called the killings “horrific,” noting that both victims endured extreme cruelty. Ortiz Montecinos remains held in King County Jail pending trial.