East Boston bouncer held without bail in weekend stabbing death of young Marine veteran
BOSTON, March 21, 2022— An East Boston man is being held without bail after being charged with killing a former United States Marine who was on a St. Patrick’s weekend visit to the city with friends, District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.
Alvaro Larrama, 38, was charged with murder at Boston Municipal Court in the stabbing death of Daniel Martinez, 23, outside the Sons of Boston bar on Union St. near Faneuil Hall on Saturday evening.
He is being held without bail at the request of Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Grasso.
“The heartbreak for Mr. Martinez’s family, and for all those who knew and served with him, is incalculable,” said Hayden, who met with Martinez’s parents prior to the arraignment. “This is also heartbreaking for Boston, because it represents an image of the city that does not truly reflect who we are.”
Martinez, a native of the Chicago area, had recently been discharged after a four-year stint in the Marines.
At approximately 6:53 PM on Saturday, officers responded to a call reporting a stabbing in the area of 33 Union Street. They found Martinez bleeding from a single stab wound to his chest. EMS responders transported him to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:24 PM.
Grasso said that video surveillance from numerous establishments shows Martinez and Larrama engaging in a brief conversation while Martinez and a friend were waiting in line outside Sons of Boston, where Larrama was working as a bouncer. Officers later learned Larrama had denied Martinez and his friend entrance. Martinez and his friend walked away and were subsequently pursued by Larrama. Grasso said the video shows Grasso raising his left hand as if to defend himself, then striking Larrama's head with an aluminum beer bottle.
The video then shows Larrama striking the victim in the chest, Grasso said. Larrama then entered Sons of Boston, where he is seen washing his hands, discarding his sweatshirt and turning his shirt inside out. He then left through a back exit.
Witnesses at the scene, several of whom were Larrama's colleagues at Sons of Boston, identified him as the perpetrator. Medical examiners identified the stab wound as the cause of Martinez's death. Boston Police issued a warrant for Larrama’s arrest and began their search on Saturday night. Larrama turned himself in on Monday morning.
Judge Steven Key ordered Larrama to return to court April 28 for a probable cause hearing.
The Commonwealth is represented by ADA Grasso. The defense counsel is Attorney Makis Antzoulatos.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.