PAGOSA SPRINGS – A juvenile detention hearing this week in Archuleta County revealed that 17-year-old Hevon Martinez is considered a suspect in the murder of his own mother, Chrystal Snow.
The hearing was held Wednesday to determine whether Martinez would be let out on supervised release stemming from an allegation that he violated a protection order involving Snow. Martinez is being detained at the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction.
At about 2:20 a.m. July 2, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a 911 open line call traced to Snow’s home at 1081 County Road 700, west of Pagosa Springs. Upon arrival, two Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered Snow dead outside her home with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators said they had identified persons of interest, but no arrests had been made.
Martinez also had a court hearing Tuesday in 22nd Judicial District Court in Cortez on suspicion of unlawfully possessing a firearm and allegedly shooting a .45 caliber handgun at a vehicle on July 7. The court ruled that Martinez should remain in custody in Grand Junction.
A discussion Wednesday between the juvenile’s legal council and Archuleta County Judge Justin Fay revealed that Snow was Martinez’s mother and Fay acknowledged the juvenile was under investigation in connection with her homicide.
In a statement to the court, Martinez said one of the reasons he should be released from custody is to support his family because of the tragic death of his mother. He said he needed to be there for his younger brother. He also complained of hair in his food and sour milk at the detention center where he is staying in Grand Junction.
Martinez promised to remain sober, earn his GED and find a job if released. He added that he has struggled with mental health issues in the past.
Fay asked prosecutor Vance Davis whether he considered Martinez a flight risk or a danger to the community if released – particularly in context with the ongoing homicide investigation – and Davis responded with a resounding one-word answer: “Yes.”
Fay ruled in favor of the prosecution’s request to keep Martinez detained because of the murder investigation and concerns regarding community safety.
Snow’s murder is being investigated by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. CBI has declined to confirm whether Martinez is a suspect or even a person of interest in the shooting death of Snow.
CBI agents believe it was a targeted shooting. In a July 3 news release, the agency said it had identified persons of interest, but no arrests had been made and no names have been disclosed. Investigators do not believe there is an active threat to the public, according to the release.
CBI has investigated Martinez and his family in the past. On Oct. 25, 2023, CBI released an “endangered missing person” alert for 5-year-old Helliono Martinez and both Hevon Martinez and his father Charles were described as suspects in his disappearance. The youth was last seen in the “1080 block of County Road 700,” the same address where Snow was shot.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
