Dolores Padilla-Marrero had just celebrated another year of life surrounded by family when she was killed in her own bed at an Orlando assisted living facility, authorities said. The 93-year-old woman was strangled and beaten to death by her daughter's boyfriend, who now faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Background
Padilla-Marrero lived at an assisted living center on Alafaya Trail in Orlando, Florida. On March 13, 2022, her daughter dropped her off around 8 p.m. after what appeared to be a celebration of her birthday with loved ones. Later that evening, the same daughter tried reaching her mother via text messages to discuss buying dresses, but Padilla-Marrero was uncharacteristically unresponsive.
The next morning, March 14, 2022, the daughter and her husband returned to check on the elderly woman and discovered her deceased. According to an arrest affidavit, Padilla-Marrero was found face up on her bed, naked, with a pillow over her face and a blanket covering her midsection.
Orange County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Joe Covelli explained that deaths at such facilities are usually due to natural causes, making this case stand out to investigators from the start. "Responding uniformed patrol deputies noticed some things that were very suspicious in the room," Covelli said.
The Investigation
Javier Rosado Martinez, 58, was identified as a suspect through a combination of evidence including video footage, DNA analysis, and his distinctive physical description—he stands 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs approximately 290 pounds. Investigators alleged that Martinez gained entry to the secured senior apartment residence by first attempting to enter alone, failing, and then having another resident let him inside.
According to authorities, a small horn-like pendant from a necklace became a crucial piece of evidence. The pendant was found wrapped in a shirt next to Padilla-Marrero's body. Covelli said Martinez's on-again, off-again girlfriend—one of Padilla-Marrero's other daughters—told police that the defendant "always wears that horn."
When arrested at his Casselberry home on a murder warrant, investigators say they found items linking him to the homicide, including keys to Padilla-Marrero's apartment. When taken in for questioning, Martinez claimed he had "blacked out" on the night in question.
An autopsy report from the medical examiner determined the cause of death was a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma to her torso, resulting in cracked ribs. The manner of death was ruled homicide.
The Charges
Martinez was charged with first-degree murder. During his trial, prosecutors sought the death penalty, but jurors instead opted for a sentence of life in prison without parole.
State Attorney Monique Worrell addressed the verdict in a statement: "Ms. Padilla-Marrero was a woman who opened her home to someone she trusted—and he repaid that trust with unspeakable violence. This verdict is for her. It is for every family that has ever had to bury someone they loved because a predator hid behind a familiar face."
Key Takeaways
- Dolores Padilla-Marrero, 93, was killed in her bed at an assisted living facility on Alafaya Trail in Orlando
- Her daughter's boyfriend, Javier Rosado Martinez, 58, was convicted of first-degree murder
- Prosecutors sought the death penalty but jurors sentenced him to life without parole
- Cause of death was strangulation combined with blunt force trauma that cracked her ribs
- A necklace pendant found at the crime scene and keys recovered from Martinez's home helped build the case
What's Next
Martinez has been sentenced and will serve his sentence in state prison. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said at a press conference announcing the arrest: "This is a tragic and heinous case. And our thoughts are with her family and with her loved ones." The victim's family members displayed what Worrell described as "extraordinary" strength throughout the legal process.