Police share what Fabian Gonzales told officers following death of Victoria Martens

To watch Day 7 of testimony, here is part one and part two.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — During the the Fabian Gonzales trial Thursday, jurors heard what he told police hours after officers discovered the body of 10-year-old Victoria Martens.

Gonzales is facing child abuse and tampering with evidence charges, accused of trying to cover up the crime and putting Victoria in danger.

Gonzales’ defense is sticking to their story that Jessica Kelley, Gonzales’ cousin, is responsible for killing Victoria on her 10th birthday.

Gonzales’ story claims he and his girlfriend, Michelle Martens, were unaware of the condition Victoria was in – until after Kelley attacked them in the early morning hours with an iron.

Sgt. Josh Brown with the Albuquerque Police Department was a homicide detective working the Victoria Martens’ case six years ago. Gonzales told Brown about the last time he claimed to have seen Victoria.

Sgt. Brown: “Was Victoria just in her arms or was she wrapped in a blanket?”

Gonzales: “She was wrapped in a blanket.”

Sgt. Brown: “She was wrapped in a blanket?”

Gonzales: “Yes.”

Sgt. Brown: “She (Jessica Kelley) was walking down the stairs?”

Gonzales: “Yeah, and then she kind of seen us (Gonzales and Martens), kind of like just turned around real fast and started walking back up, and we were like, ‘Hey!’ I said, ‘Hey, hey, hey!’ and then she just like, ignored me.”

Kelley took the stand last week. She told her version of events and claims she told Gonzales about an unidentified man who came into the apartment and killed Victoria – and Gonzales helped her try to cover up the crime, after putting Michelle to bed.

Kelley admitted she was high on meth on the day Victoria was killed, and she didn’t tell her story to police until two years after Victoria’s death.

On Thursday, jurors were shown a video of Brown pushing Gonzales about the last time he claimed to have seen Victoria.

Sgt. Brown: “But, that’s not normal behavior, man, for anybody to be carrying down a child down a set of stairs wrapped in a blanket.”

Gonzales: “But there was neighbors and everybody else still so –”

Sgt. Brown: “Right, but right, understand –”

Gonzales: “I was thinking maybe she’s just coming down because Victoria may be sick or she was, you know what I mean, tired.”

Sgt. Brown: “But wrapped up in a blanket?”

Gonzales: “Not like all the way wrapped up, you could still see kind of her feet and her head. You know what I mean?”