Suspect In Modesto Quintuple Homicide First Faces Judge For Toddler's Death

MODESTO (CBS13) — A man connected to the weekend murders of five family members is in custody in Modesto, but has not been charged with their deaths.

For now, suspect Martin Martinez faces two felony charges for the murder of another child—his girlfriend's 2-year-old son Christopher Ripley.

It took five days to get suspect Martin Martinez back to the city of Modesto. His arraignment today, though, lasted less than ten minutes. It appears court proceedings may move quickly with a preliminary hearing to be determined next week.

Modesto Police brought Martinez to a Modesto jail late on Wednesday before his Thursday arraignment.

Martinez's name first came up as a person of interest in the murders of five family members. Inside a Nob Hill Court home, police found the bodies of his mother, his girlfriend Dr. Amanda Crews, their 6-month-old baby, Crews' 6-year-old daughter and another child believed to be Martinez' niece.

A criminal complaint accuses Marinez of willfully causing Ripley's head injury on Sept. 30 last year that would kill the boy two days later. The warrant states Martinez told detectives he was wrestling with the boy when Ripley fell back and hit his head on the tile floor. A neuropathologist concluded on July 16 that the head injury was not an accident, two days before the five murders.

Martinez pleaded not guilty and will be back in court next week. He's being held on $5 million bail.

Both charges he faces in the Ripley case carry the possibility of life in prison.