Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend Arrested After He’s Struck While Chasing Her Dog On Expressway

A New York man was arrested for murdering his girlfriend at their penthouse apartment in July 2022 after she was considering breaking up with him and relocating out of state, prosecutors said.

Mark Small, 55, allegedly fatally shot 39-year-old Marivel Estevez following her revelation to friends and family members “that she wanted to end her relationship with [him] and move to Florida,” the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

The D.A. claimed Small “was unwilling to let her go” and “is accused of murdering Marivel in cold blood at her Mineola apartment,” which was located in The Allure Mineola, a Long Island luxury complex where she also worked in management.

According to friends and family, Estevez and Small, a restaurateur who had to shut down his business in Rockville Centre weeks before the slaying, had a “tumultuous relationship,” WABC reported.

Just after 11:15 a.m. on July 30, Small allegedly shot Estevez in the head and torso with a handgun and then left the scene with her dog and car, prosecutors said.

When Estevez failed to show up for work that day, a concerned coworker contacted police to request a wellbeing check. Responding officers found the victim in her apartment dead on a bed.

On Aug. 2, the suspect, Small, was involved in a crash with a box van on the Long Island Expressway. “While he was awaiting police arrival, Mark looked to exit the vehicle,” Nassau County Police Detective Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said. “As he exited the vehicle, the dog jumped out.”

“Mark went to get the dog so it didn’t get hit by a car,” Capt. Fitzpatrick continued. “It didn’t get hit by a car. Mark got hit by a car.”

Small was treated for bone fractures at an area hospital, where police then arrested him.

Small pleaded not guilty at his Sept. 20 arraignment to charges of second-degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon.

He was being held without bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 21.

A GoFundMe described Estevez as “a breath of fresh air with a smile that would light up any room.”

A resident in Estevez’s apartment complex noted she was a “bright spot” for everyone who came in contact with her.

“She was so sweet,” Eric Greenburg told WABC. “She was so nice and everything, it's just horrible to hear what happened to her. She was like a warm presence in this building.”

The victim’s colleagues at Buzzuto Management Company said in a statement to the station they were “devastated” by her death. “She will be profoundly missed by all those who knew and loved her.”

“We would like to recognize and thank the Nassau County Police Department for all their efforts,” they added.

For more information on the various forms of domestic violence, and tools and resources for those who need them, visit NoExcuseForAbuse.com.