A Maryland man, aged 23, has been sentenced to 38 years in prison for the brutal murder of a 22-year-old driver. Marvin Ernesto Funez-Martinez was convicted for the killing of Marco Alexander Pulido-Castro following a minor dispute over a small sum of money, according to the Charles County Circuit Court Judge Donine Carrington Martin.
The Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office reported that local police responded to a distress call in the early hours of October 29, 2023, from a residence in White Plains. Upon arrival, they discovered Pulido-Castro’s lifeless body, curled up in the trunk of a Nissan Sentra. He was declared dead at the scene.
Investigations revealed that Funez-Martinez had employed Pulido-Castro to drive him and two others to a nightclub in Washington, D.C. After the night out, Pulido-Castro drove the group back to White Plains. However, during the journey, Pulido-Castro stopped at a gas station and asked Funez-Martinez for additional money for fuel. This request sparked a minor argument between the two men.
Upon reaching Funez-Martinez’s residence, Pulido-Castro stayed outside to attend to his overheating car while the others entered the house. Funez-Martinez, already armed with a pocketknife, retrieved a larger knife from his kitchen. He then attacked Pulido-Castro, who was checking under the hood of his car, stabbing him repeatedly. Despite Pulido-Castro’s attempts to escape, Funez-Martinez pursued him and continued the assault, stabbing him a total of 59 times and knocking out several of his teeth. Following the attack, Funez-Martinez moved Pulido-Castro’s body to the trunk of the car.
Funez-Martinez fled the scene but was later located by the police, thanks to witness reports. He was found with multiple cuts on his hands, which were also stained with the victim’s blood. He subsequently confessed to the murder.
During the sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Constance Kopelman highlighted the trivial argument that escalated into a brutal murder. She emphasized the extreme violence of the attack and the need for Funez-Martinez’s long-term incarceration. She described the murder as the most brutal she had ever seen and lamented the cruel and undeserved fate of Pulido-Castro.