BURIEN, WA – A 29-year-old man is in custody, accused of slaying his ex-girlfriend and her roommate in a bloody attack that left a suburban Seattle community in shock. Marvin Ortiz-Montecinos faces two counts of premeditated first-degree murder following the deaths earlier this month of Victoria Aparicio Cruz, 26, and Yaneth Gómez Hernández, 32, in their Burien apartment.

The King County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded on September 8 to a 911 call from a resident at the Montrose Apartments on 152nd Street, who discovered Ortiz-Montecinos lying injured and covered in blood outside the building. Inside a third-floor apartment, authorities found the two women dead and covered in blood after following a trail of blood from the injured man to the crime scene.

According to charging documents, both victims had suffered severe violence, with more than 20 stab wounds inflicted upon Cruz and over 40 wounds to Gómez Hernández. Prosecutors allege that both women fought desperately to defend themselves against Ortiz-Montecinos, who allegedly wielded a curved, seven-inch fillet knife in the attack.

Investigators described the injuries as gruesome, noting deep cuts to the women’s necks and extensive defensive wounds on their hands. One victim’s jugular vein and carotid artery were severed, prosecutors said, while the other’s spinal cord was partially cut. Authorities say evidence indicates the violence continued even after the victims had died.

Law enforcement reported finding Ortiz-Montecinos in a physically compromised state outside the apartment complex, suffering from multiple stab wounds on his head, chest, and back. Initially, he was only able to utter the phrase “my fiance” in Spanish before being transported to a local hospital.

Inside the apartment, deputies noted signs of a struggle and an apparent attempt to ransack the kitchen. One victim was found fully clothed, and the other was nude except for a towel partially wrapped around her legs. No one else was present in the unit.

While being treated at the hospital, Ortiz-Montecinos allegedly told authorities an unknown man was responsible for the killings and for stabbing him, claiming to have awakened to cries for help and discovering the women dead. However, investigators said his story was riddled with inconsistencies, and further examination undermined his version of events.

Using chemical agents to analyze the crime scene, forensic teams detected a single set of footprints, which matched a sandal belonging to Ortiz-Montecinos. Blood was discovered on the inside of the apartment’s deadbolt, and investigators determined the door had been locked from inside as the suspect left, further narrowing the timeline and pointing to Ortiz-Montecinos as the only attacker.

Authorities also reviewed phone records showing a late-night exchange between Ortiz-Montecinos and Cruz, in which she confirmed ending their relationship. The last message sent by Ortiz-Montecinos came less than an hour before the call to 911, suggesting a direct link between the breakup and the violent confrontation.

Ortiz-Montecinos is being held in the King County Jail on $10 million bail and faces a sentencing enhancement due to the use of a deadly weapon. Officials noted he is a Guatemalan national and is now subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.

The broader community has rallied to support the victims’ families in the aftermath of the murders. An online fundraiser has been established for Gómez Hernández’s 10-year-old son as relatives and neighbors grapple with the loss. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare the case for trial.