OREGON CITY, Ore. (KOIN) — A mother of 3 whose body was found in a ditch was identified Monday and her husband was later arrested charged with murder.
Coral Rodriguez-Lorenzo’s body was found Sunday by an employee of Camp Namanu near the Sandy River in Clackamas County. It took a while to identify the 38-year-old, but once they did they found she had been listed as a missing person out of Portland.
During the investigation, detectives brought in the victim’s husband, 45-year-old Martin Gallo-Gallardo, for questioning. He allegedly confessed to the murder of his wife. He’s being held without bail.
In his first court appearance, Gallo-Gallardo entered a not guilty plea with the help of an interpreter. His next court appearance is November 6.
At a home in Southeast Portland Tuesday, relatives lit candles for Coral and said she lived for her 3 children, ages 10, 15 and 18. They said she also loved to dance.
The family has been living at an apartment on 160th in Southeast Portland. Now, relatives are watching the children.
A criminal background check revealed Gallo-Gallardo was arrested in March for allegedly assaulting his wife. But a grand jury decided not to proceed with the case, the Multnomah County DA’s office said.
What The Probable Cause Document States
An autopsy revealed Coral Rodriguez-Lorenzo died from multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma to the head.
Her body was found on October 28 and investigators were not able to identify her immediately. She was reported missing the next day and the description given perfectly matched the body that was found near Camp Namanu.
She and her husband were last seen arguing at a party in Multnomah County, the probable cause document showed. Investigators then contacted Gallo-Gallardo where he worked at Pacific Seafood Warehouse in Southeast Portland.
He agreed to go to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office for an interview. After he was read his rights, “he confessed to the murder of his wife at the location where the body was located,” the document states.
Gallo-Gallardo allegedly told investigators he “accidentally elbowed her in the face” and that she intended to call the police. But he drove with her to rural Clackamas County where she got out of the car to clean her face.
“He then stated he attacked her, pushing her down where she hit her head and then began to stab her multiple times,” the document states.