Inset: Robert Marin (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Arizona home where Robert Marin allegedly shot his wife dead and then smoked a celebratory cigar while standing over her body, covered in blood (AZ Family).
In a chilling case out of Arizona, a man accused of fatally shooting his wife and then lighting a cigar as he stood over her lifeless body appeared in court this week to request a reduction in his bond. The request was denied. His teenage daughter reportedly discovered him at the scene, covered in blood and smoking, adding further distress to the family’s ordeal.
Aaron Cooley, the brother of the victim, Heather Marin, expressed grave concerns about the potential release of Robert Marin, who stands accused of the March murder at their Phoenix residence. “He’s a danger to my family, me, and possibly others who witnessed his actions,” Cooley stated, emphasizing his fear before a bond hearing, as reported by AZFamily.
Currently, Robert Marin’s bond is set at $2 million cash. Cooley voiced worries that if the bond terms were altered to a secured bond, Marin could post bail. “Even if it remains at a $2 million secured bail, he has the resources,” Cooley explained. “If he only needs to produce $200,000, he could walk free.”
According to law enforcement and prosecutors, the tragic event unfolded following a dispute between the estranged couple over their daughter’s living arrangements. Robert Marin, 60, allegedly became embroiled in a heated argument with Heather Marin, which escalated into violence.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime reveals that their teenage daughter had an earlier confrontation with her father. The affidavit states, “[Marin’s] teenage daughter reported she and Marin were in a verbal argument earlier in the evening,” during which Marin expressed animosity toward Heather, from whom he was separated and seeking a divorce. The daughter’s concerns about the separation may have intensified the argument, according to the document.
Cooley told AZFamily that Heather Marin spoke to the couple’s daughter over the phone and “said a lot of things” that made his sister “think she needed to get over there and rescue her.” Cooley recounted how Heather Marin drove to the home that night and was killed “right in front” of the teen, according to police.
“[Robert Marin] went in the garage, lit a cigar, sat down and smoked a cigar while he watched his 17-year-old daughter perform CPR on her dying mother,” Cooley alleged.
“Why would you do this?!” the couple’s daughter yelled at her father after coming across the ghastly scene, according to the affidavit. Robert Marin allegedly responded by “shrugging his shoulders.”
Police believe the murder happened around 9:30 p.m. and was premeditated due to Robert Marin’s “indifference after the shooting, electing to smoke a cigar rather than render aid,” according to the affidavit, along with a number of other factors — including Heather Marin allegedly “pleading for her life before being shot multiple times.”
When cops arrived at the home, they found Robert Marin inside the garage “with blood on his clothing and shoes,” according to the affidavit. A firearm, holster, and spent casings were discovered in the garage.
“When deputies contacted the suspect, he dropped to his knees upon their arrival and was detained without making any statements,” the affidavit states. “Deputies noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from Marin during transport to a MCSO [Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office] facility for questioning and processing.”
The daughter told cops about a prior “unreported domestic violence incident” from early February, during which Robert Marin held a firearm in his hand and threatened to shoot Heather Marin in the head before killing himself, according to the affidavit. She also described receiving screenshots of text message exchanges between her parents containing “hateful and threatening language,” police say.
“[The daughter] confirmed that Marin was an avid gun owner with multiple unsecured firearms stored throughout the residence to include pistols and hunting rifles,” the affidavit alleges. “She also described a large safe in a closet within the house which also stored firearms and ammunition.”
Robert Marin is facing a charge of first-degree murder. He’s being held in the Maricopa County Jail.