Mauricio Martinez-Garcia

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

A Maryland investigation that began with a woman’s terrifying crash and hospital exam nearly a year ago has ended with the cross-country arrest of a California man tied to the assault through DNA, police said.

Mauricio Martinez-Garcia is being held across the country following a months-long investigation into a harrowing report of sexual abuse and multiple rapes in Gaithersburg and Prince George's County, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police.

The investigation began after a reported sexual assault in Montgomery County nearly a year ago.

At approximately 7 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2024, a woman was out to eat at a restaurant in the 16100 block of Shady Grove Road, police said. She ordered food at the bar and had a drink while waiting for her order, when a stranger came up and started talking to her, and insisted he pay for her tab.

She allowed him to do so and went back to her table.

The woman reported she did not finish her food or drink and didn’t feel well, police said. She left the restaurant and attempted to drive home. While driving, she was involved in a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Sam Eig and Great Seneca Highways.

According to police, the woman said an unknown man — later identified as Martinez-Garcia — arrived at the scene and offered to help her. He allegedly led her to his car and drove away from the crash scene against her will.

Martinez-Garcia drove the two to his apartment, where police say he forcibly raped her. He later drove her home, where she was raped a second time.

On Dec. 20, 2024, the woman went to a local hospital and underwent a sexual assault forensic examination. Evidence was collected, and detectives later gathered additional evidence from the victim’s apartment.

The investigation led detectives to identify Martinez-Garcia as a possible suspect. 

Last week, on Friday, Dec. 5, detectives received a Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) notification. A secondary analysis of evidence resulted in a DNA profile that matched Martinez-Garcia.

Officials made note that the known DNA sample had been previously collected during an investigation conducted by the Department of the Army.

Martinez-Garcia, who currently lives in Madera, California, was arrested at his home on Tuesday, Dec. 9, without incident. 

He is charged with: 

  • Two counts of first-degree rape;
  • Third-degree sexual offense;
  • Two counts of kidnapping;
  • Five counts of second-degree assault.

Detectives later connected Martinez-Garcia to a second assault that occurred in Los Banos, California.

He is being held in California pending his extradition back to Maryland.