Husband stood over dead wife and lit a celebratory cigar, shrugged while watching daughter perform CPR 'on her dying mother': Family

An Arizona man who allegedly killed his wife with four gunshot blasts and then lit up a celebratory cigar while standing over her body — with their teen daughter finding him covered in blood and puffing away — could soon be a free man if a judge grants a request to reduce his bond, his brother-in-law warns.

"He's a danger to my family, me … maybe the rest of the family, neighbors, people who have seen what he did," said Aaron Cooley, brother of victim Heather Marin, who was allegedly murdered by her husband Robert Marin at their Phoenix home in March.

"Right now, [Robert Marin's bond] is set at $2 million cash, but if they lower it only to a secured [bond] — even if it's $2 million secured bail — he has the means," Cooley told AZFamily. "If all he has to come up with is $200,000, he's out."

Police and prosecutors say Heather Marin was Robert Marin's estranged wife and had gotten into an argument with the 60-year-old about their daughter staying with him before the shooting.

"[Marin's] teenage daughter reported she and Marin were in a verbal argument earlier in the evening," a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime alleges. "During this argument, Marin expressed hatred toward the victim [Heather Marin], from whom he was informally separated and in the process of divorcing. The daughter explained she had also confronted her father with her concerns about the dynamics of the separation which likely fueled the tension of the argument."

Cooley told AZFamily after a Wednesday court hearing that Heather Marin spoke to the couple's daughter over the phone and "said a lot of things" that made his sister "think she needed to get over there and rescue her." Cooley recounted how Heather Marin drove to the home that night and was killed "right in front" of the teen, according to police.

"[Robert Marin] went in the garage, lit a cigar, sat down and smoked a cigar while he watched his 17-year-old daughter perform CPR on her dying mother," Cooley alleged.

"Why would you do this?!" the couple's daughter yelled at her father after coming across the ghastly scene, according to the affidavit. Robert Marin allegedly responded by "shrugging his shoulders."

Police believe the murder happened around 9:30 p.m. and was premeditated due to Robert Marin's "indifference after the shooting, electing to smoke a cigar rather than render aid," according to the affidavit, along with a number of other factors — including Heather Marin allegedly "pleading for her life before being shot multiple times."

When cops arrived at the home, they found Robert Marin inside the garage "with blood on his clothing and shoes," according to the affidavit. A firearm, holster, and spent casings were discovered in the garage.

"When deputies contacted the suspect, he dropped to his knees upon their arrival and was detained without making any statements," the affidavit states. "Deputies noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from Marin during transport to a MCSO [Maricopa County Sheriff's Office] facility for questioning and processing."

The daughter told cops about a prior "unreported domestic violence incident" from early February, during which Robert Marin held a firearm in his hand and threatened to shoot Heather Marin in the head before killing himself, according to the affidavit. She also described receiving screenshots of text message exchanges between her parents containing "hateful and threatening language," police say.

"[The daughter] confirmed that Marin was an avid gun owner with multiple unsecured firearms stored throughout the residence to include pistols and hunting rifles," the affidavit alleges. "She also described a large safe in a closet within the house which also stored firearms and ammunition."

Robert Marin is facing a charge of first-degree murder. He's being held in the Maricopa County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for his requested bond hearing.