Meghan Ottolini
Boston Herald
A bouncer has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a U.S. Marine veteran who served in the War on Terror and was celebrating St. Patrick’s Day downtown over the weekend.
“This is hard. This is a heartbreaking case for everybody — it’s a heartbreaking case for this city,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Monday.
Alvaro Larrama, a 39-year-old East Boston father of four, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Daniel Martinez. His arraignment in Boston Municipal Court Monday was held just hours after he turned himself in to police.
Martinez, who hailed from the Chicago area, was visiting friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Boston. He was stabbed just before 7 p.m. Saturday on Union Street and was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, police said. He died just before 3 a.m. Sunday.
Prosecutors said ample surveillance video from the area shows Martinez and a friend visited the Sons of Boston pub on Union Street, where Larrama worked as a bouncer. Martinez spent time inside the bar without incident, left and apparently got back in line to return to the bar.
While standing in line, Martinez and Larrama appeared to get into a confrontation, according to video obtained by police. Martinez then began walking away, and Larrama chased after him, the prosecutor said. The bouncer then attacked Martinez and stabbed him, the prosecutor added.
Larrama went inside the bar after the stabbing, washing his hands and turning his shirt inside out, the prosecutor said. The bouncer then left the pub through the back door.
Police responded to a call for a person stabbed, and bars in the area were shut down for the remainder of the night.
The Boston Police Department’s Fugitive Unit made immediate inroads into the case Saturday, according to court testimony, after speaking with many of the defendant’s coworkers and witnesses from the scene.
Larrama previously served time for larceny convictions from 2001, as well as a drug-related crime before that. He has been without a conviction for more than 20 years, his attorney said.
Martinez was a Marine who finished his active duty in 2021 as a sergeant. His awards included the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
Family members of Martinez appeared visibly distraught in court and declined comment after the arraignment.
“Our hearts go out to them and to all who knew Mr. Martinez, who served with him,” Hayden said.
“This is not a representation of our city, Boston, and who we are,” Hayden added. “I think we can come together in support and love so that people both who live here and who come to visit here know what a truly great city it is.”
Larrama will be held without bail and is set to appear in court on April 28 for a probable cause hearing.
___
(c)2022 the Boston Herald
Visit the Boston Herald at www.bostonherald.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
