Martinez-Perez, 26, is also charged one count of abuse of a corpse and three counts of child abuse. 6th Judicial Court Judge Suzanne Carlson is presiding over the case.<\/p>\n
During closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutor Robert Barlow argued that Martinez-Perez acted with deliberation and intent during the incident. He said Martinez-Perez murdered his wife, Crystal Martinez-Perez, after a weeklong fight that started when she told him she wanted a divorce.<\/p>\n
On April 16, 2017, Silvino went through his wife\u2019s phone and found text messages, sexual in nature, to Floyd Martinez, who at the time was a deputy with the La Plata County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
Silvino awoke her from a nap and started an argument about the texts. The fight lasted so long that it consisted of two cigarette breaks and was enough time to put their son, who had woken up during the argument, back to bed, Barlow said.<\/p>\n
During the argument, Crystal told Silvino that her body wasn\u2019t his anymore and walked toward a bedroom, Barlow said. Silvino then strangled her from behind for roughly two minutes. After a brief pause, he again strangled her for roughly 50 seconds while she was unconscious, he said.<\/p>\n
Barlow argued that the incident wasn\u2019t done in a \u201cheat of passion,\u201d as defense lawyers suggested. As part of his argument, Barlow sat in silence for the alleged duration of the struggle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s plenty of time for him to reflect on what he\u2019s doing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
John Moran, Silvino\u2019s public defender, argued that he was under extreme emotional distress after learning that he was about to lose his wife and kids. He argued his wife\u2019s infidelity, combined with recent financial struggles, caused him to \u201cfreak out\u201d and commit the act.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe acted from a place of hurt and devastation,\u201d Moran said. \u201cHe thought he was going to lose his family.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the incident, Silvino called the police and reported the crime himself. He cooperated fully with authorities and even told police incriminating information that they might have otherwise never discovered, including that he had sex with his wife\u2019s body after he strangled her, Moran said.<\/p>\n
He also said the couple\u2019s three kids, all under the age of 10, were never in any danger despite the fact that they were in the house during the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe prosecution is reaching and they\u2019re asking you to reach,\u201d Moran told jurors. \u201cDon\u2019t reach. Treat him fairly.\u201d<\/p>\n