Miami-Dade County authorities arrested Saul Garcia Gonzalez, 40, who faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of Nerida Martel, 37, the mother of his two-year-old daughter.

The The case has generated widespread attention because, according to the police report, the suspect allegedly tried to persuade friends and family that the woman was missing because she had been detained by immigration authorities.

The initial version: an alleged ICE detention

According to documents cited by WPLG, Garcia Gonzalez assured his inner circle that he believed Martel was “possibly in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”

However, since her name did not appear in official records, friends and family insisted that he reported her disappearance to the police, which he did on October 9, three days after claiming to have last seen her dropping her daughter off at daycare.

Discovery of the body and contradictions

On October 11, Martel's body was found in a canal near her home, with a gunshot wound to the head.

The investigation moved quickly after detectives detected inconsistencies in the defendant's version of events. According to the police report, Martel had sought refuge with a friend due to tensions in the relationship, and family members noted previous episodes of verbal abuse. Phone records obtained by investigators placed Garcia Gonzalez in the canal area during the period when the woman disappeared. Arrest and Legal Proceedings: Garcia Gonzalez, originally from Mexico and a landscaping worker, was arrested Wednesday and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remains in custody without bail. Authorities have not clarified why the defendant claimed that ICE had detained his ex-partner, nor have they specified his immigration status in the United States. The case remains under investigation while the Prosecutor's Office prepares the next steps in the legal process.