Community / Crime & Safety

Man Charged in Río Piedras Nightclub Murder Held Without Bail

Published Sep 1, 2026, 9:06 AM ASTvia Primera Hora

At a glance

  • Luis M. Báez Marín, 20, was arrested for first-degree murder and other charges
  • The alleged crime occurred at Hawaii Bar & Restaurant in Río Piedras on August 16, 2025
  • Báez Marín did not post $1,400,000 bail and was admitted to a correctional facility

Why this matters: The killing at Hawaii Bar & Restaurant in Río Piedras puts a spotlight on nightlife safety in the San Juan area.

A San Juan court judge, Liza M. Durán Ortiz, found probable cause to arrest Luis M. Báez Marín, 20, on charges of first-degree murder, discharging a firearm in a public place, unlicensed firearm possession, and pointing and/or firing a weapon. According to an investigation by Agent Rafael Pérez of the San Juan CIC Homicide Division, on August 16, 2025, around 11:44 PM, Báez Marín allegedly shot Dereck Rivera Franco, 22, at the Hawaii Bar & Restaurant on Avenida Jesús T. Piñero in Río Piedras, killing him.

The motive was not disclosed in the police report. Prosecutor María Del Mar Ortiz Rivera filed the charges. Báez Marín did not post the $1,400,000 bail set and was booked into Institución Penal 705 at the Bayamón Correctional Complex. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for September 14.

In context (787daily, from public data)

SourcePrimera Hora

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