Georgia Man’s Body Found at Neighbor’s Home After Blood Leads Cops to Remains: Police

Suspect moved to U.S. three months ago from Mexico. It's unclear if he was in the country legally

A missing Georgia man was found Nov. 8, after police followed blood at a neighbor’s house, leading them to his body in the backyard.

Robert Page, 70, was found dead at his neighbor’s home in Morrow at 11 p.m., said Clayton County police, according to Fox5 in Atlanta. His wife reported him missing just hours before the discovery was made.

A missing Georgia man was found Nov. 8 after police followed blood at a neighbor’s house, leading them to his body in the backyard. Clayton County Sheriff's Office

Christian Ponce-Martinez, 25, was identified by police as the suspect. Ponce-Martinez moved from Mexico to the United States just three months ago.

It’s not clear if he was in the United States legally.

“Officers went to the back of the residence, and located the offender, hiding under a couch, acting very nervous and suspicious,” Maj. Craig Hammer said, Fox News reported. “Officers then noticed a trail of blood, in the backyard. They followed the trail, which led them to the victim, Mr. Page’s dismembered remains.”

Ponce-Martinez was charged with malice murder, and he was also charged with obstruction after he became uncooperative and combative with police, WSB-TV reported.

Page and Ponce-Martinez didn’t know one another before the slaying. The motive is not clear.

“Even if you weren’t related to him, if he saw that you were a younger nice person, he would say, ‘You’re my grandson or granddaughter’ or ‘You’re my son or daughter,’ something like that. He was a very (embracing) person … and to go in such a tragic way, it just hit us all really hard at the moment,” grandson Bobby Austin said.

Page had been married to his wife, Lula, for 50 years. She reported him missing to the police. “He’s irreplaceable. The personality he had was priceless. Nobody will ever be able to top him,” Austin added.

Neighbors were in shock.

“He was a great guy. He helped me build my driveway and all. We talked every day and he helped me build my fence and my gate and all, and we were just friends,” one neighbor told WSB. “I don’t have any words for it. It was just crazy to know something that outrageous could happen right next door.”

“Even if you weren’t related to him, if he saw that you were a younger nice person, he would say, ‘You’re my grandson or granddaughter’ or, ‘You’re my son or daughter,’ something like that. He was a very [embracing] person…and to go in such a tragic way, it just hit us all really hard at the moment,” Nancy Jones, a friend, told WSB-TV.

Morrow, in Clayton County, is located about 15 miles away from Atlanta.