The father of tourist Kevin Marless, who was tragically shot in Puerto Rico while attending a Bad Bunny concert, spoke publicly for the first time on Monday.
“It’s very difficult,” Hector Marless shared with the Post. “Yesterday was tough. We’re still trying to cope. He was a wonderful man.”
Kevin, 25, was out celebrating at a bar in La Perla, an area outside of Old San Juan, on Sunday when gunfire erupted during a conflict nearby.
After being hit, he was taken to a local hospital but sadly was pronounced dead upon arrival.
As local police sergeant Arnardo Lewis noted, it appears that the incident was related to a dispute that Kevin had no connection to. It just unfolded in front of the establishment in La Perla.
Marless was in Puerto Rico with his long-time girlfriend, Angie Nicole Arguero, to see Bad Bunny perform as part of his month-long residency on the island.
His family mentioned that Marless had planned to propose to Arguero for about seven years.
Arguero expressed her grief, stating, “I’m just devastated. I really can’t believe it. I’m in denial.”
She continued, “Every time he walked into a room, it just lit up… he was truly genuine and dependable.”
On Instagram, she shared a heartfelt tribute, saying, “My love, I love you. I miss you. Why did God take him away from me?”
Marless’s father has started an online fundraiser on GoFundMe to help cover the costs of bringing his son’s body back to New York City.
Christina, a cousin of Marless, expressed the family’s anguish, saying, “The wounds are still very fresh. We just want him home—that’s our priority.”
She further added, “My family is exhausted. They need clarity on the process, especially regarding the criminal aspect. Why can’t they release the body? We just want to expedite everything.”
