Seattle police found a body in Renton Tuesday afternoon, during their search for missing mother, Leticia Martinez-Cosman, who was last seen attending a Mariners game on March 31.
According to KOMO News, Seattle Police Department (SPD) spokesperson said the body was found while law enforcement was following up on leads. The department released a statement following the discovery.
“SPD Homicide Detectives followed leads obtained during the investigation which resulted in the recovery of a deceased subject in the Renton area Tuesday afternoon. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will confirm the identity of the deceased and the cause and manner of death.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 58-year-old Martinez-Cosman was last seen at the T-Mobile Park on March 31 while at a Mariners game in Seattle. Police arrested 46-year-old Brett Gitchel on April 6, in connection with Martinez-Cosman’s disappearance. He’s in custody for attempted murder, kidnapping, theft, and assault.
A video obtained by Fox 13 Seattle shows both Martinez and someone who appears to be Gitchel smiling and laughing at the game.
Cellphone records indicate that Gitchell drove to a remote area in King County after the game. He later returned to Seattle. Then, on April 2, Gitchell allegedly broke into the victim’s home and kidnapped her disabled son, identified as Patrick Cosman.
Gitchell allegedly told Patrick said Martinez-Cosman fell down and was injured, then offered to take her son to the hospital.
Patrick reportedly agreed and left with the man in a vehicle; Gitchell then allegedly began attacking Patrick and tried to put a bag over his head while choking him. Patrick managed to escape and was found wandering alone in a wooded area in Renton.
Following the attack, Gitchell allegedly drove to a Shell gas station and bought a canister full of gas and a lighter, while throwing away his coat in the trash. Around 30 minutes later, the Seattle Fire Department responded to a call about a car that had been set on fire, around a mile from the gas station.
The car, according to police, belongs to Martinez-Cosman.
Then, according to court documents, Gitchell went to a Costco store on April 4 and stole around $10,000 worth of jewelry. It’s the same store where he initially met the victim, around a month prior.
Gitchell initially claimed he didn’t know Martinez-Cosman, but changed his story once confronted with the photo of him and the victim at the game.
“Within a three days period, Brett Gitchel was the last person to be seen with Leticia Martinez-Cosman. Brett Gitchel would drive Leticia’s vehicle to a remote area outside Seattle for a short period of time the next day, kidnap and attempt to kill her son and burn Leticia’s vehicle,” court documents read.
Court records obtained by Fox 13 indicated that Gitchell was previously arrested for domestic violence, drugs, lying to police, and auto theft.
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[Feature Photo: Police Handout]
