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Jose Franco-Martinez, aged 58, of Elmont, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend at her place of work, the Nassau County DA announced on Wednesday, June 28.
Franco-Martinez was convicted by a jury of the crime nearly five years after the incident itself.
Maria Larin worked as a hot walker at Belmont Park, walking horses to cool them down after races.
It was at work when, on June 17, 2018, Franco-Martinez approached and brutally attacked her, stabbing and cutting her 23 times with a kitchen knife.
Though Larin’s co-worker, having watched the incident, picked up a shovel and hit the Franco-Martinez over the head with it, he was able to run away.
New York Racing Association staff apprehended the killer after a brief chase, during which he threw the knife into nearby bushes.
According to information from the DA’s Office, Franco-Martinez had also previously worked as a hot walker for Belmont Park and was angry at Larin for reportedly ending their romantic relationship.
He was working in Kansas just a few days before the crime and paid an acquaintance to drive him from there to New York so he could murder Larin the next day.
On April 4, Franco-Martinez was convicted of second-degree murder.
He was given the maximum sentence expected at the time of his conviction.
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