2013-09-03

Potter County grand jury indicts Arizona man in Amarillo motel death

Excerpt

A Potter County grand jury indicted an Arizona man on a murder charge in the March 4 beating death of a woman at an Amarillo motel, according to court records released Thursday. \n Matthew Ivan Zimmer…

A Potter County grand jury indicted an Arizona man on a murder charge in the March 4 beating death of a woman at an Amarillo motel, according to court records released Thursday.

Matthew Ivan Zimmerman, 31, is accused of striking Miranda Nicole Zimmerman, 20, with an unknown object and/or strangling her, according to court records.

A preliminary autopsy showed Miranda Zimmerman died of blunt force trauma to the upper body, Amarillo Police Lt. Erick Bohannon said earlier.

Miranda Zimmerman's body was discovered early March 4 in Room 229 at the Luxury Inn and Suites, 2915 E. Interstate 40.

When officers and medical personnel arrived, they found the woman's body but the man who called to report the death was gone, police said.

Matthew Zimmerman was detained after officers spotted him in the motel parking lot and determined he reported the body. Bohannon said he believed Miranda Zimmerman was Matthew Zimmerman's wife.

Potter County jail officials said Matthew Zimmerman is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond on a murder charge.