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Muralles, 52, was stabbed to death in a confrontation that began after he accidentally spilled a coffee on 15-year-old Marquest Hall, who led an attack on Muralles despite his apologies, police said. The attack occurred outside the McDonald's Restaurant on Bedford Street in downtown Stamford at about 8:15 p.m. last Wednesday, March 11.
Hall, who is charged as an adult in the crime, and 22-year-old James McLamb of New Haven are each being held on $2 million bond and are facing murder charges. A third person is being sought in connection with the murder, Stamford police said.
Muralles was a native of Guatemala who immigrated to the United States about 25 years ago, his family said. In a video clip, Muralles plays guitar and sings at a family gathering as seen here on YouTube and above. His immediate family, five sisters and a brother along with his father, live in Guatemala. His mother had previously died.
A modest memorial has sprung up outside the McDonald's where he was stabbed.
Through an interpreter, Reyes said she was sad that she will not be able to hear Muralles' singing and playing his guitar again.
Police investigators received a lot of information and video evidence from people who were "sickened" about the attack, Capt. Richard Conklin said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
Police worked around the clock, said Lt. Diedrich Hohn. An important break came when an eyewitness came forward.
"Her information really blew the case wide open," he told the press conference.
Stamford EMS was responding to an unrelated incident when they saw a man collapse at Broad and Bedford streets outside the McDonald's, police said.
They started to treat Muralles and saw a stab wound to his chest, police said. He was transported to Stamford Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. After several hours of surgery he succumbed to his injuries at 1:07 a.m., police said.
The bond was set at $2 million on the suspects because of what prosecutor Paul Ferencek called the "underlying violence" of the attack on Muralles.
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