Florida Man Stabs Wife to Death, Kills Himself After in Front of 3 Kids
An argument between a married couple in Volusia County, Florida ended in tragedy as a Florida man stabbed his wife to death before cutting his own throat in a case of murder-suicide. He did this in front of his three young children.
Immediately after the man slit his throat, their 10-year-old son ran to their neighbors for help and told them that his stepfather had stabbed his mother.
According to the New York Post, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said just after 6 pm, the neighbor who called the police told them that he entered the residence and saw the wife on the floor; the children, unharmed. He then called 911.
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The mother was identified as Byanca Yazbek Cruz Tovar, 26, while the husband was identified as Oscar Mercado Salazar, 32. Salazar was also the biological father to the two children.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood stated that the incident was really "heartbreaking."
"It is sickening on one end, again when you look you have three little kids involved here, a 10-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old, who don't have their mother anymore," he told members of the media.
When deputies arrived at the family's house, they found the couple inside the bedroom. The mother was unconscious but was later declared dead inside the home.
The father he was still alive after his self-inflicted knife wound. Authorities then sent him to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, according to the Deltona Beach News-Journal. However, an hour after being sent to the hospital, he died from his injuries.
He had a history of domestic violence and has been arrested for it before, says Sheriff Chitwood, who also called the incident "classic domestic violence." He also stated that Salazar has been living in the country by using a stolen identity.
Couple Argued About How to Discipline Their 5-Year-Old Son
According to Sheriff Chitwood, the mother, Byanca Yazbek Cruz Tovar, had "tons of defensive wounds," indicating that she was "clearly fighting for her life." The sheriff also revealed that the two were fighting over the disciplining of the middle child, a 5-year-old son.
WESH 2 News reported that several neighbors told them that the family was new to the area and had made renovations to the newly-purchased home.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Chitwood released a statement and said, "The children will need a lot of love and support as they deal with this tragedy today and for the rest of their lives." The sheriff added the he felt "so sorry for their pain," and added that they are now making contact and making arrangements with family members. He also stated that he will "make sure these kids have everything they need."
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
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