Russell Neal from Hi-Five arrested for fatally stabbing fitness model wife

By Joshua Gardner Published: 01:30 EST, 4 July 2014 | Updated: 16:08 EST, 4 July 2014 59 View comments Former Hi-Five singer Russell Neal, 40, has been charged with murder after his model wife was found stabbed to death in their Houston apartment.

Hi-Five singer Russell Neal charged with murder after his model wife is found stabbed to death in their apartment

  • Russell Neal, 40, was a member of Hi-Five, which had two major early 1990s hits including I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) which went to No. 1
  • Police say Neal clammed up after reporting Wednesday he'd gotten into an argument with his 24-year-old wife and that she was dead
  • Charged with murder and held in custody on $100K bond

By Joshua Gardner

Published: 01:30 EST, 4 July 2014 | Updated: 16:08 EST, 4 July 2014

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Former Hi-Five singer Russell Neal, 40, has been charged with murder after his model wife was found stabbed to death in their Houston apartment.

The former member of chart-topping 1990s boy band was arrested Wednesday after bursting into a Texas police station and telling police his wife was dead and he needed a lawyer.

Authorities found 24-year-old Catherine Martinez, who has two sons, dead from apparent stab wounds and blunt force trauma. Neal is currently in custody on a $100,000 bond.

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Sad fall: Russell Neal, far right, performed as part of the 90s R&B boy band Hi-Five, which had two major hits including I Like the Way (the Kissing Game), which went to number 1 in 1991. He's now charged with murdering his 24-year-old wife

Sad fall: Russell Neal, far right, performed as part of the 90s R&B boy band Hi-Five, which had two major hits including I Like the Way (the Kissing Game), which went to number 1 in 1991. He's now charged with murdering his 24-year-old wife

Clearing his conscience? A witness was in the station when Neal entered and claimed in a Facebook post along with this picture that Neal even told police he'd killed Martinez

Clearing his conscience? A witness was in the station when Neal entered and claimed in a Facebook post along with this picture that Neal even told police he'd killed Martinez

Model wife: Catherine AKA Brasilia Martinez was discovered in their Houston apartment dead from apparent stab wounds and blunt force trauma

Model wife: Catherine AKA Brasilia Martinez was discovered in their Houston apartment dead from apparent stab wounds and blunt force trauma

According to KHOU, Neal told police he'd gotten into an argument with Martinez before he asked for an attorney and then clammed up.

A witness described the exceptionally docile scene to KTRK.

'He wasn't resisting arrest or fighting with them, or saying anything. When they brought him out in handcuffs, he was just as calm as can be and they just put him in a police car,' said Mary Alice Valencia, who works at a nearby bond office and is accustomed to seeing arrests.

Facebook user Wayne Head was in the police station when Neal entered and took photos of the former singer.

Head appears to claim in his error-filled post that Neal went so far as to admit he killed Martinez.

'[Neal] walk n an say he just killed his wife she at home deveased,' wrote Head.

Shocking: Neal is seen being led away from the station and into a squad car at right after telling police his fitness model wife was dead at their apartment

Shocking: Neal is seen being led away from the station and into a squad car at right after telling police his fitness model wife was dead at their apartment

Needs a lawyer: Neal allegedly burst into a Houston police station where he told cops he'd had an argument with his wife Catherine Martinez before asking for a lawyer and clamming up TMZ has learned ... '90s singer Russell Neal from Hi-Five is in police custody ... after he told cops his wife was dead inside their apartment ... and he needed a lawyer. Neal went to the local jail and apparently told Houston cops he and his wife had gotten into an argument Wednesday ... the singer reportedly asked for a lawyer and then clammed up. Hi-Five's song "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" went to number one in 1991 ... and a year later they scored another hit with, "She's Playing Hard to Get." The group's lead singer Tony Thompson famously died in 2007 after inhaling Freon. Neal is currently being detained ... no charges have been filed. The lawyer for Hi-Five, Chris Brown, tells TMZ, "We are aware of the situation and are presently evaluating it." See also Ed Lover -- Yo! MTV, You Don't OWN Me Anymore! 'Drop Dead Fred' Star Rik Mayall -- Died of a Heart Attack After Morning Jog Chris Kattan: Mango RESURRECTED at CFDA Awards Get TMZ Breaking News alerts to your inbo

Needs a lawyer: Neal allegedly burst into a Houston police station where he told cops he'd had an argument with his wife Catherine Martinez before asking for a lawyer and clamming up


Neighbors described the couple as seemingly happy, but one man speculated there was more than met the eye.

'Apparently a guilty conscience, a guilty conscience, a crime of passion,' neighbor Keenon Shufford told KTRK. 'You just never know, I think he just probably lost it.'

Martinez was described by neighbors as very beautiful and in fact she has a substantial internet presence from her work as a fitness model and aspiring boxer under the name Brasilia Martinez.

In a May interview with Mxymag, the up and coming young model admits her 'biggest flaw is being too caring.'

She had two sons who would sometimes be seen in the apartment complex, though it was unclear if the boys are Neal's.

In the Mxymag interview, Martinez calls them her 'princes.'

Gorgeous: Martinez was a beautiful aspiring fitness model and boxer

Gorgeous: Martinez was a beautiful aspiring fitness model and boxer

A member of a chart-topping 1990s boy band was arrested Wednesday after bursting into a Texas police station and telling police his wife was dead and he needed a lawyer. Russell Neal, 40, had two smash hits including I Like the Way (The Kissing Game), which went to number 1 in 1991, when he was a singer with R&B group Hi-Five. Now the platinum selling artist has a murder charge after authorities found 24-year-old Catherine Martinez dead from apparent stab wounds and blunt force trauma in the Houston apartment. A member of a chart-topping 1990s boy band was arrested Wednesday after bursting into a Texas police station and telling police his wife was dead and he needed a lawyer. Russell Neal, 40, had two smash hits including I Like the Way (The Kissing Game), which went to number 1 in 1991, when he was a singer with R&B group Hi-Five. Now the platinum selling artist has a murder charge after authorities found 24-year-old Catherine Martinez dead from apparent stab wounds and blunt force trauma in the Houston apartment.

'Princes': Martinez had two sons who she recently called her 'princes' in an interview, though it was unclear if the boys are Neal's


'I love my two princes, my family, and the loyal and hon­est peo­ple in my life,' she said.

A photographer who worked with Martinez posted a striking photo of her along with this message on Instagram:

'Still can't believe this but RIP @brasiliamartinez1990 gone way too soon . One of the realist people i knew with a strong work ethic and dope personality. Thank you for believing in me,' wrote D. Hinez.

Police said the children are now with family members.

Russell Neal had two smash hits including I Like the Way (The Kissing Game), which went to number 1 in 1991, when he was a singer with R&B group Hi-Five.

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