Before a 23-year-old U.S. Marine veteran was fatally stabbed by a bar bouncer while visiting Boston with friends, police say he had walked away from an argument, according to reports.
Video surveillance shows veteran Daniel Martinez spent time inside Sons of Boston pub on Saturday, March 19, where Alvaro Larrama, 38, of East Boston, worked as a bar bouncer, according to the Boston Herald.
Martinez left the Union Street bar without incident, but later got back in line and got into a confrontation with Larrama, the newspaper reported.
The bouncer had denied entry, WLS reported, and Martinez walked away during an argument.
As Martinez walked away with a friend, video footage captured Larrama running toward Martinez with something in his hand, WBTS reported. The veteran turned toward the bouncer, extended a hand to “block or fend off an attack,” and then hit the man in the head with a beer bottle.
The two got into a fight, and Larrama was seen striking the Marine twice in the left part of his chest, the station reported, before Martinez clutched his chest.
Court records say Larrama then headed back to the bar’s kitchen, where he washed his hands, threw out his sweatshirt and knit cap, turned his shirt inside out and ran away, according to WLC.
Police were called to the area shortly before 7 p.m. and found that Martinez had been stabbed, police said in a news release. He was taken to a hospital with “life-threatening injuries” before he was pronounced dead.
Martinez was visiting the city to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with friends, including another Marine, WCVB reported. He served with the Marines from September 2017 through September 2021 before ending his service as a sergeant.
“How is this even possible? He survived four years in the Marines,” mother Apolonia Martinez told WBZ. “That man does not have any clue how many lives he destroyed when he took my son.”
As she mourns, she recalled one of her last memories with her son.
“He hugged me so tight and he said, ‘Mom I love you and I’ll see you soon,’ and I thought I’ll see you soon and now it’s not going to be soon, it’s going to be in another life, on another world in heaven,” she told WBZ. “I think I could have held him a little bit longer, I could have stopped him from going.”
Martinez was from Palos Hills, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, WLFD reported.
Larrama surrendered to police on March 21 and was arrested, according to the news release. He has been charged with murder, the Boston Herald reported.
Police ask anyone with additional information regarding the fatal stabbing call homicide detectives at 617-343-4470.
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