Las Vegas woman dies of injuries from choking, coroner says
A Las Vegas woman died early Friday morning from choking injuries, according to the Clark County Coroner.
Stella Martinez, 39, succumbed to brain injuries she suffered after her ex-boyfriend, Christopher Wood, 41, choked her, Las Vegas police said.
Officers were called to a home June 3 on the 1900 block of Sirocco Court, near Sahara Avenue and Hualapai Way, about a man trying to break into a home. An arriving officer found a man and a woman on the ground in the backyard, according to Wood’s arrest report.
The officer said he saw Wood choking the woman and pulling out her hair, the report read.
Police started chest compressions when they realized the woman wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse. She was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator, the arrest report said.
Wood faces attempted murder, attempted burglary and domestic battery by strangulation charges.
Martinez’ family has started a Gofundme campaign to help with medical expenses.
Contact Dana Rutkin at drutkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @DanadRutkin on Twitter.
