Man accused of dismembering body, dumping remains near train tracks

William Martinez, 40, faces charges of murder, abuse of corpse

HIALEAH, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested Thursday morning after he dismembered a human body and dumped the remains near train tracks in Hialeah, authorities said.

The remains were found Wednesday night in the area west of Palm Avenue and 21st Street.

According to an arrest report, numerous body parts were found scattered at the scene in black garbage bags, including hands, a foot, a head and partial limbs.

Hialeah police said a collision with a train caused the bags to break and the remains to scatter around the tracks.

Police said surveillance video from a nearby business shows the suspect, William Martinez, 40, walking from an apartment complex toward the tracks on Monday and Tuesday.

He was seen Tuesday throwing an object onto the tracks, police said.

According to the report, detectives knocked on the door to the apartment where Martinez lives with his mother and smelled a strong odor that appeared to be coming from a decomposing body. They said they also saw a mop and cleaning materials on the floor.

Detectives said they observed a BBQ with a black cover on it that smelled like a decomposing body was inside.

Martinez's mother told detectives that her son admitted to her that he killed the victim inside the bedroom of the home, dismembered his body, and stored his body parts inside her BBQ and green garbage tank.

He also told her that he dumped body parts on the train tracks, detectives said.

Police found part of the body inside the garbage tank.

Authorities said Martinez knew the victim and believe that the killing was the result of an argument between the two.

The victim's identity will not be released until police can notify relatives.

They said it's unclear how Martinez killed the victim.

Martinez faces charges of second-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.