BOSTON — The man who shot and killed a 20-year-old man during a confrontation over a stolen backpack in Revere was arraigned Thursday.
The arrest of Felix Martinez, 19, accused of murder in the death of Yaseen Butt last week, came after an investigation by state police detectives assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, with the assistance of the Revere Police Department.
Martinez was arraigned, by telephone in Chelsea District Court, on charges of the murder of Butt, assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of armed robbery. At the request of Assistant District Attorney David McGowan, Judge Matthew Machera ordered Martinez held without bail while the case is pending.
McGowan told the court that, on July 26, Martinez allegedly participated in a robbery in which he stole two backpacks — one of which was valued at approximately $800 — from Butt and a second individual in the area of Garfield Avenue. During the robbery, the individual who was with Martinez displayed what appeared to be a firearm.
Following the robbery, the victims gathered a group of companions and set out to find Martinez in an attempt to retrieve the backpacks. They located Martinez among a group of individuals in the area of Revere Beach Boulevard; he was in possession of one of the backpacks, the DA’s office said During a confrontation between the two groups, Martinez allegedly attempted to get a firearm from another person, according to McGowan. In response, the victim left the location and was chased by Martinez and a group of males to a grassy area near 82 Revere Beach Blvd. The victim fell to the ground, where the group began to kick and beat him. During the assault, Martinez shot the victim, prosecutors said.
Butt was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died.
Martinez and other members of the group were captured by security cameras fleeing into a nearby MBTA station. Martinez jumped onto the live tracks and was narrowly missed by a train as he made his escape, prosecutors said.
During the course of the investigation, detectives gathered additional evidence from security camera footage, social media, witness statements, and ballistic evidence. The State Police continue to investigate with the assistance of the Revere Police Department.
“First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family,” said recently-appointed Revere Police Chief David Callahan. “As a community, we’re all shocked by this terrible and heinous crime.
“I want to thank the investigators who worked tirelessly on this case over the last several days, leading to today’s arrest. Revere police are continuing to work with state police detectives and the Suffolk DA’s office to make sure that those who had a role in this crime are arrested, and to prevent further violence in the city of Revere.”
“Yaseen’s life was stolen over a backpack. This violence and complete disregard for human life is unacceptable,” Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins said. “The state police detectives assigned to my uffice will continue to work alongside the Revere Police Department to make sure those responsible for Yaseen’s murder are held accountable.
“We intend to support Yaseen’s loved ones and connect them with resources,” she said. “We will also work directly with the Revere community in the wake of this senseless act of violence.”
The case returns to court on Sept. 2.