Conviction Upheld For Topless Maid's Murder Of Retired Redondo Beach Officer

REDONDO BEACH, CA – A murder conviction was upheld by a state appellate court panel Wednesday for the case of a topless maid's killing of a retired Redondo Beach police officer who had hired her in January 2015. The California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal panel rejected the defense’s argument that the trial court judge was wrong to refuse to allow jurors to see a video recording of Centia Renee Martin's interrogation by Inglewood police after the killing, the Daily Breeze reported.

Martin was convicted of murdering Robert Crigler, who had hired her as a topless maid and masseuse, and was sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced two years ago. She was immediately sentenced after being convicted of first-degree murder in September 2015.

The 74-year-old retired officer had hired the woman on Jan. 10, 2015 according to evidence presented at Martin’s trial, in which she represented herself. Crigler’s body was discovered Jan. 13 at his converted apartment in Inglewood, according to Deputy District Attorney Steven Gates.

The prosecutor said the evidence showed that Martin nearly decapitated Crigler with a knife and repeatedly bashed him in the head with a shotgun in an attack on or between Jan. 10 and Jan. 13 that left the weapon broken.

Video surveillance footage and forensic evidence tied Martin to the crime, according to evidence presented during Martin’s trial.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock