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Relative: Mother showed demons before stabbing and killing family

Isabel Martinez gestures towards news cameras during her first court appearance Friday, July 7, 2017, in Lawrenceville , Ga. Martinez is charged with killing four of her children and their father. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Isabel Martinez gestures towards news cameras during her first court appearance Friday, July 7, 2017, in Lawrenceville , Ga. Martinez is charged with killing four of her children and their father. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
By Craig Schneider and Christian Boone
July 25, 2017

How could a mother try to kill her entire family?

Days before Isabel Martinez allegedly stabbed and killed virtually her entire family, she was struggling with some demons of her own.

Depressed over the recent death of her father in Mexico, the Loganville mother spiraled into depression, said a family member. That depression was fueled by her intense religious beliefs.

What made the once gentle-natured Martinez change so radically?

Read more about Martinez and her charges at myajc.com.

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About the Authors

Craig Schneider

A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.

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