Puerto Rico police charge a suspect in the recent killing of a tourist from the US mainland

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A 37-year-old man with a criminal record turned himself into police on Friday and was charged in the recent killing of a tourist from the U.S. mainland who had flown to Puerto Rico for Bad Bunny’s residency.

Kalel Jorell Martínez Bristol faces charges including first-degree murder, according to a statement from Puerto Rico’s Justice Department.

Police have said the 25-year-old victim, Kevin Mares of New York, was an innocent bystander when he was struck by a bullet early Sunday while at a nightspot with friends in the seaside community of La Perla.

Authorities accused Martínez of pulling out a gun and firing it while arguing with people near Mares. Two people, a brother and a sister who live in La Perla, were injured.

Defense attorney Pedro Rivera told reporters that he was “very surprised” authorities didn’t file attempted murder charges, saying that casts doubt over the entire case.

Martínez Bristol is being held on an $800,000 bond.

The community of La Perla is located on the outskirts of Old San Juan and once served as Puerto Rico’s biggest distribution point for heroin. It became popular with tourists after Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featured the community in their hit, “Despacito.”

But isolated violence persists.

In February 2023, three tourists were stabbed after police said a person told them to stop filming inside the community.

Then in April 2024, a 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed and his body set on fire after police said he and a friend were attacked following a drug purchase. Police said the victims were trying to take pictures of La Perla after being warned not to do so.