Police in Puerto Rico have arrested a man in connection with the fatal shooting of a U.S. tourist, who was visiting the island for a Bad Bunny concert.
Kenneth Giovanni Estrada Melendez is believed to have been the intended target when a gunman opened fire in a bar near Old San Juan on Sunday morning, fatally wounding 25-year-old Kevin Marless, a resident of Queens, according to local reports.
Melendez, 27, was apprehended on a drug warrant after fleeing the scene, as reported by local news outlet.
Marless was enjoying a vacation with his longtime girlfriend at a bar known as El Refugio Para Hombres Maltratados—translating to “a shelter for abused men”—located in the troubled area of La Perla, where the shooting occurred just before 4:15 AM.
Authorities say that it was Melendez who was targeted, while Marless and two other bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Tragically, Marless was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The other two victims, identified as siblings and Kayla Melendez Bertran, are expected to survive, according to local reports. Melendez, who has ties to the injured individuals, had an outstanding warrant for drug sales dating back to 2022.
Investigators tracked Melendez to the Ratolocha district in Vegabaja around noon on Monday, but so far, the suspected shooter has not been identified. The motive behind the altercation that escalated to this violent incident remains unclear.
Marless was reportedly in Puerto Rico with his girlfriend of seven years, with plans to propose to her during the trip, making his untimely death all the more heartbreaking.
His father, Hector Marless, expressed the family’s profound grief, stating, “It’s very difficult. We’re still struggling. He was a beautiful man.” The family has set up a fundraising page to help bring his body back to New York.
