Man Indicted On Murder Charges For Belmont Stabbing Death

An Elmont man was indicted by a grand jury Thursday for second-degree murder for allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death at Belmont Racetrack in June.

Jose Franco-Martinez, 54, was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is due back in court on Sept. 5. If convicted of the top count, he could face life in prison.

“This defendant allegedly drove from Kansas to brutally murder Maria Larin, his ex-girlfriend, and an innocent mother, as she worked with horses at the Belmont Stakes racetrack,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “I’m grateful to Belmont staff and security for their quick action to stop and apprehend this alleged killer and my heart goes out to her family as they grieve this unspeakable loss.”

Singas said that on June 17, just days after the Belmont Stakes, Maria Larin was working as a hot walker inside the stall area of Barn 61 at Belmont Racetrack, walking hot horses to help them cool down after racing. She was out early in the morning, before 6:30 a.m. As she worked, Singas said that Franco-Martinez approached her and stabbed her multiple times all over her body with a silver kitchen knife. One of Larin’s coworkers, who saw the incident happen, picked up a shovel and hit Franco-Martinez in the head with it to try to stop him, Singas said, but he managed to run away.

Security guards became concerned when they saw a horse wandering around unattended. They found Larin and rushed her by ambulance to a hospital where she died of her injuries.

After a brief chase, security staff from the New York Racing Association caught Franco-Martinez and called police, Singas said. During the chase, Franco-Martinez threw the knife into the bushes, according to Singas.

Franco-Martinez, who previously worked as a hot walker at Belmont, become angry with Larin after she ended their relationship, said Singas. On June 16, he paid an acquaintance to drive him from Kansas, where he was working, to New York to allegedly murder the Larin, Sings said.

Photo courtesy Nassau County Police Department