CHICAGO, IL — The family of a U.S. Marine veteran murdered in Boston is pledging to get to the bottom of what happened to Daniel Martinez during a night out near Faneuil Hall.
Martinez’s family has announced plans to sue the Sons of Boston on Union Street, where the suspect worked as a bouncer.
That bouncer, Alvaro Omar Larrama, 39, of East Boston is facing a murder charge. Prosecutors say he chased down Martinez, 23, after an exchange of words at the bar and attacked him, before running back to the bar to clean himself off and flee out a back door. Martinez was visiting Boston, from Illinois, with a friend.
[ Bouncer arrested in deadly weekend stabbing of 23-year-old U.S. Marine veteran near Faneuil Hall ]
The victim’s father, Manuel Martinez, speaking at a news conference in Chicago on Thursday, said the lawsuit will allow his son’s legacy of service to live on, with the eventual establishment of a foundation in his name.
“It doesn’t end here. In the future, we are going to start a foundation and continue the good work that we as a family have done over the years,” said Manuel Martinez, who was joined by his wife Apolonia Martinez and Daniel’s siblings.
Mr. Martinez said his son had plans for military service even at a young age. Daniel Martinez had completed his Marine service last year.
“He loved this country. This country, even with its imperfections, has been very good to our family and to all the generations that have come before us.”
“The city has alleged that after the stabbing the bar did nothing to call for help for Daniel or to catch the person who had stabbed him,” said Martinez family attorney Tom Flaws, at a news conference in Chicago on Thursday.
Flaws said the family wants answers to questions about the bar’s role in training Larrama, and any checks they may have done on his background.
“We will get to the bottom of this,” said Flaws.
“When there is a senseless tragedy like this, the victim’s family is overwhelmed by emotion, grief, confusion, and sadness are all natural,” said Flaws. “It’s also normal, however, for a family to feel anger in light of this avoidable tragedy.”
Martinez’s family thanked all of those who have reached out to his family since Daniel’s murder on March 19.
“We have great faith. We believe in God and that one day we are going to be reunited with Daniel,” said Manuel Martinez.
Boston 25 has reached out to Sons of Boston for comment on the case and the impending lawsuit.
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