Laurel Man Charged with Murder in Wife's Death: Police

A Laurel man is charged with murder after his wife died from what appeared to be blunt force trauma, police said.

Jason W. Martin, 41, was arrested after he went to a neighbor’s home Tuesday night with blood on his shirt and said his wife was injured, the Howard County Police Department reported.

At approximately 11 p.m., the neighbor called 911 to report unknown trouble at Martin’s home, according to the report.

When police got to the residence in the 9500 block of Glen Ridge Drive, they found Carla Dee Martin in the basement with injuries that appeared to be from blunt force trauma, the report said. A dumbbell nearby was covered in blood, according to the report.

Carla Martin was taken to Laurel Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased, police said. The preliminary cause of death for the 42-year-old woman was blunt force trauma, according to police.

Authorities said there were three children in the home at the time who did not see what happened. They were placed in the custody of Carla Martin’s parents, police reported.

Jason Martin was arrested at the home and is at the Howard County Detention Center for processing, police said Wednesday morning. Authorities said he has been charged with second-degree murder in his wife’s death.