Bryan Marquez confessed to killing his roommate and burying him in the backyard (Picture: St Lucie Country Sheriff’s Office)

A roommate was found dead with a foot sticking out of a shallow grave after a man allegedly beat him to death for throwing his plate of food on the ground.

Bryan Marquez, 22, confessed to murdering his roommate and partially burying him in the backyard of a home in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Police officers responded to the house after receiving a report of blood in the backyard and what looked like a shallow grave. Cops discovered that a ‘foot was partially exposed’ and the rest of the body was under an 18-inch deep hole.

‘The officers that arrived on scene first were taken off guard,’ said Fort Pierce police Sgt Charles Donnon, according to CBS12.

Bryan Marquez has been charged with first-degree murder (Picture: St Lucie Country Sheriff’s Office)

‘Where we found the decedent was a very small place, and at first, they were very concerned that it was a child, so everybody was on edge right from the beginning.’

Cops also found blood, shovels, plywood, gloves, rocks and a blanket in the yard, according to arrest records obtained by Law & Crime.

At the scene, Marquez admitted to committing the crime.

‘There was an altercation between them earlier in the day over food. He didn’t like that our victim had thrown food away,’ Donnon said. ‘He indicated that he got intoxicated throughout the day, approached him at night, and that’s what he did what he did.’

Marquez was taken into custody immediately on December 12 because there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. During questioning at a police station, Marquez said he killed his roommate, whom he called Guanajuato.

The suspect said his roommate disrespected him, in addition to throwing his plate full of food on the ground. Marquez said he punched the victim in his face, nose and ribs, and shoved gravel and dirt into his mouth.

His roommate did not stand up when Marquez told him to, documents state. Marquez dragged the victim’s body across the yard and dug a grave and did not call police.

The victim was between 35 and 45 years old, according to the autopsy. His identity has not been released.

Marquez has been charged with first-degree murder. He is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement because he is an illegal immigrant, as was his roommate.