Suburban woman charged with parents' stabbing deaths

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) -- A woman accused of stabbing her parents to death in northwest suburban Arlington Heights has been ordered held without bail.

Deborah J. Martin, 43, faces two counts of first-degree murder, according to Arlington Heights police.

At 12:32 a.m. on June 8, officers responded to a call of a well-being check in the first block of South Derbyshire Lane, police said. First responders forced their way into the home after they saw an unresponsive woman “with obvious signs of violence” on the kitchen floor.

Anne P. Martin, 71, and David G. Martin, 72, were found in the home with traumatic injuries and “without any signs of life,” police said.

Paramedics pronounced the pair on the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy found Anne Martin died from multiple sharp force injuries and David Martin from multiple stab wounds. Their deaths were ruled as homicides.

While authorities attended to the couple, Deborah Martin allegedly came down the stairs from the second floor and confronted the officers, police said. She was arrested and taken to a police station for questioning.

The Cook County state’s attorney’s office approved charges after an extensive investigation which included forensic evidence, many interviews, a review of dispatch audio and physical evidence, police said.

Cook County Judge Marc Martin on Monday ordered Deborah Martin held without bail, according to county records. She is due in court again on June 27 in Rolling Meadows.