A tragic story unfolded in Maryland, where a young man was sentenced to decades in prison for a horrifying crime. Marvin Ernesto Funez-Martinez, 23, will spend 38 years behind bars for brutally killing 22-year-old Marco Alexander Pulido-Castro, stabbing him 59 times with a kitchen knife after a small argument over gas money.
It all started on the night of October 28, 2023, when Funez-Martinez hired Pulido-Castro to drive him and two others to a nightclub in Washington, D.C. The group enjoyed their night out, and Pulido-Castro drove them back to White Plains in his Nissan Sentra. However, during the drive, they stopped at a gas station, and Pulido-Castro asked Funez-Martinez for more money to fill up the tank. This simple request led to a disagreement.
When they reached Funez-Martinez’s home in White Plains, Pulido-Castro stayed outside to check his car, which had started overheating. Meanwhile, Funez-Martinez, already carrying a pocketknife, went inside his house and grabbed a larger kitchen knife. He then went back outside, where Pulido-Castro was looking under the car hood, and attacked him.
Pulido-Castro tried to run to a nearby yard, but Funez-Martinez followed him and continued the attack. The violence was relentless—Pulido-Castro was stabbed 59 times, and several of his teeth were knocked out. After the brutal assault, Funez-Martinez dragged the victim’s body back to the car and placed it in the trunk.
When police arrived in the early hours of October 29, 2023, they found Pulido-Castro’s lifeless body curled up in the trunk of his car on Gateway Boulevard in White Plains. Witnesses helped officers track down Funez-Martinez nearby. He had cuts on his hands and blood from the victim, and he later admitted to committing the crime.
At the sentencing hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Constance Kopelman described the incident as one of the most violent murders she had ever encountered. She highlighted how Pulido-Castro, who was simply doing his job as a driver, met a cruel and senseless death over a small amount of money.
“This wasn’t just a murder; it was brutal and heartbreaking,” she said. “Marco Alexander Pulido-Castro was working hard, and he didn’t deserve to die like this. He never got a chance to enjoy his life.”
This case shocked the local community, reminding everyone how something as minor as a dispute over gas money can spiral into an unthinkable tragedy. Now, with the sentencing, Funez-Martinez faces the consequences of his actions, ensuring justice for Pulido-Castro and his grieving loved ones.
