Missing 5-year-old whose mother was killed near Pagosa Springs is found safe

CORTEZ, Colo. — A missing 5-year-old boy whose mother was killed in early July in Pagosa Springs has been found safe, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Montezuma County Sheriff's Office announced that they were searching for a missing 5-year-old boy named Helliono Martinez. His mother, 39-year-old Chrystal Snow, had been shot to death in her home in Pagosa Springs on the morning of July 2. CBI has not named anybody of interest in her death.

A few hours into the investigation, authorities found the 5-year-old with his aunt in Cortez.

On July 16, the Colorado Department of Human Services obtained a court order granting the state emergency custody of Helliono Martinez. That same day around 1:30 p.m., the boy was seen with his 43-year-old father Charles Martinez driving along Highway 160 in Cortez in a Gold 2011 Dodge Ram.

Two days later, an Endangered Missing Alert was issued for Helliono Martinez.

"There is growing concern for the boy's well-being and law enforcement is seeking the public's help in finding Helliono Martinez," CBI said in Tuesday's press release .

According to a CBI alert from October 2023 , an Endangered Missing Alert was issued previously for both Helliono Martinez and his father.

Around 12:50 p.m. Thursday, CBI announced that the boy had been found safe, and the Endangered Missing Alert was deactivated.

As of publishing time, nobody has been arrested in connection with the boy's disappearance. Investigators are working to determine if Charles Martinez knew about his son's custody status when the Endangered Missing Alert was issued.

Denver7 has reached out to authorities to learn more.

At Denver7, we're committed to making a difference in our community. We're standing up for what's right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.