New Mexico mother sought out men to rape her daughter

ALBUQUERQUE, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A New Mexico mother admitted she sought out men to rape her daughter in the weeks leading up to the girl's eventual killing, police said.

Victoria Martens, 10, was allegedly killed by mother Michelle Martens, boyfriend Fabian Gonzales and his cousin Jessica Kelley last month.

"This homicide is the most gruesome act of evil I have ever seen," said Police Chief Gorden Eden. He called it "a complete disregard of human life and betrayal by a mother."

Michelle, 35, said she found one person at work and two on dating site Plenty of Fish to sexually assault her daughter and another child because she enjoyed watching it.

Investigators have rounded all electronic equipment from Martens' apartment, in the hope of finding some recording of abuse or of the actual killing of the child.

A witness recalled seeing Kelley carry Victoria down the stairs on the evening of Aug. 23, though it is not known if the child was dead or alive at that point. Screams were later heard coming from the apartment.

Albuquerque Police spokesperson Officer Tanner Tixier said Victoria was given methamphetamine then raped, strangled and stabbed.

Police found Victoria's burned and dismembered body in the apartment after Michelle and her boyfriend went to a neighbor saying they had been attacked by Kelley.

The father of Martens' other child had no knowledge of the abuse or other crimes, his attorney said.

Tixier and another officer choked up as Tixier first announced the incident last month, and has asked that the first responders be kept in people's thoughts and prayers after their experience at the crime scene.

"What these gentlemen and women saw, no human being should ever have to see."