A man accused of attacking his estranged girlfriend in her Harlem apartment, resulting in 50 stab wounds, claimed he was too intoxicated to recall the event, according to prosecutors on Wednesday.
Luis Marquez, aged 41, faces murder charges and was ordered to be held without bail following the brutal assault on Carmen Lopez, his former partner of five years. Prosecutors revealed unsettling details about the incident, which occurred early Monday morning.
During the court proceedings, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Yunig detailed how Marquez had stalked Lopez during her outing with friends at a nearby club. He waited in the stairwell of her West 129th Street apartment for over two hours until she came home around 4 a.m.
Yunig recounted that when Lopez exited the elevator, Marquez attacked her, pinning her to the ground and stabbing her multiple times in areas like the stomach, throat, and chest.
Even as Lopez lay motionless on the floor, Marquez continued to stab her, reportedly with both hands, to ensure she would not survive. Witnesses noted that she was heard begging, repeatedly saying, “No, Luis.”
The stabbing was so severe that it punctured Lopez’s liver and aorta. Authorities indicated that Marquez was arrested later after returning home to the Bronx, where he confessed to family members. An acquaintance subsequently took him to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
Yunig stated that during a post-Miranda interview, Marquez claimed intoxication impaired his memory of the attack, despite identifying himself in surveillance footage from the crime scene.
Lopez, 47, was a mother of four, two of whom were reportedly sleeping in an apartment only a short distance from where she was left. A maintenance worker discovered her tragic situation.
In court on Wednesday, Marquez appeared emotionless, wearing the same jacket he had on during his arrest, while a Spanish interpreter conveyed the proceedings to him. Friends mentioned that their relationship had been rocky; Marquez had been described as increasingly jealous and frustrated over Lopez’s attentiveness.
His coworkers at RE Meat Market in the Bronx were shocked by his arrest. The owner, Ramon Sedano, expressed disbelief, stating that the news has left everyone unsettled. He noted that Marquez was typically quiet and kept to himself.
Local residents commented that Marquez, who rented a room in the Bronx, was known for being non-confrontational and had a routine visit to a barbershop every week. “He’s just a quiet guy,” said one barber, expressing their own surprise at the situation.
Marquez is set to return to court on November 17, where, if found guilty, he could face a sentence ranging from 25 years to life in prison.
