Facebook post purportedly from murder suspect just before arrest: “I will no longer enjoy time on earth with you all”
By Michael Bielawski
The man arrested last week for murdering an 82-year-old Enosburg woman has been charged with aggravated murder. Darren Martell, 23, of St. Albans was arraigned on Friday, is being held without bail, and if convicted could face life in prison without possibility of parole.
Now the court affidavit and recent social media posts continue to fill out this crime’s disturbing nature. More details are emerging on the aggravated murder – a more serious charge than first-degree murder – as well as gruesome details on the subsequent efforts to hide and destroy the body of Roberta Martin, 82.
Also, the accused young man appears to have posted a distressing message on his Facebook page as recently as just a week ago, making it the same day as his initial arrest.
Martell was living in a camper near the victim, an elderly woman Roberta Martin age 82. She was reported missing by neighbors late Wednesday evening, July 17.
Both the victim and the alleged attacker lived on Butternut Hollow Road. However, according to reports on the affidavit by VtDigger and others, Martell initially had told police he was visiting from out of town before later admitting he lived in a camper on the same street.
Martell was initially apprehended by detectives around noon on Monday, July 22, and sent to the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. He was then formally taken into State Police custody on the following Thursday.
He was caught after detectives saw him masturbating in the woods near St. Albans Town School, there was then a chase and search of the area while the school was put into lockdown. Martell was located shortly after and arrested. He now faces additional and unrelated charges for the public masturbation.
At the arraignment, the defendant’s lawyer requested that the ‘aggravated’ portion of the charge be dropped, but the judge rejected that, so the charge remains aggravated murder. According to reports from the courtroom, Martell’s lawyer tried unsuccessfully to convince the judge there was no apparent evidence that the sexual activity found by authorities was not consensual.
Burned body in woods
Last week a state police press release described that human remains were discovered at about 11 AM Sunday, July 21, in a wooded area near Sand Hill Road in Enosburgh, about three-quarters of a mile from the victim’s home. By the following day, examiners were able to confirm that the remains belonged to Martin.
According to the court affidavit – as reported by VTDigger and other outlets – the remains were burned. Part of the evidence cited included there was a firepit cleaned up near Martell’s camper and pieces of duct tape were found scattered.
Suspect had revealing Facebook Page
Martell has a Facebook page, and some of the material shows signs that he led a troubled life. The tagline at the top of his page reads, “I’ve been loved by most but felt like I’m hated by the world.” One of his posts from 2021 reads, “I needa delete Facebook and get a therapist.”
On a social media post shared as a comment on Martell’s Facebook page, one woman shares what likely was the final Facebook post by Martell before his arrest near the school. She posted a screenshot of Martell’s post on her phone two days ago, when the post was already five days old, making it the same day as the arrest.
It states, “I will not let these pigs frame me. My mom has said enough. I will no longer enjoy time on earth with you all. So long everyone.” The post continues with more profanity and apparent distress.
Aggravated murder conviction requires life without parole
Martell is suspected of sexually assaulting the victim before the murder. Aggravated murder is considered more serious than a typical charge for murder, because it involves added crimes of pay-for-hire, murder when already convicted of murder, murder by a first-responder, and others, including: “The murder was committed in perpetrating or attempting to perpetrate sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault.”
State law requires life imprisonment without possibility of parole for conviction of aggravated murder: “The punishment for aggravated murder shall be imprisonment for life and for no lesser term. The court shall not place on probation or suspend or defer the sentence of any person convicted of aggravated murder. A person sentenced under this section shall not be eligible for parole during the term of imprisonment imposed herein and shall not be eligible for work-release or noncustodial furlough except when serious medical services make custodial furlough inappropriate.”
The author is a reporter for the Vermont Daily Chronicle. His news articles previously published on the http://www.KeepVermontSafe.com website will be published on VDC.