Benjamin Garcia Gual, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania man stabs girlfriend Carmen Martinez-Silva to death after threatening her not to get a haircut as she sought to end their relationship.
A Pennsylvania woman trying to end her relationship with her boyfriend was allegedly stabbed to death by him after he got upset about her new haircut, charging documents show.
Benjamin Garcia Gual, 49, of Lancaster County was arrested and charged with the murder of Carmen Martinez-Silva on Sunday afternoon after he allegedly tracked her down at her brother’s house in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County.
Gual, 49, according to cops knifed the 50-year-old woman because he was upset that she’d cut her hair, after previously threatening her not to, the victim’s daughter told police, according to court docs cited by PennLive.
The girlfriend wanted to end things, but her Lancaster boyfriend wouldn’t let her
The daughter claimed her ‘frightened’ mother staying with her overnight in a bid to avoid the man’s wrath as she sought to end their relationship.
After leaving her daughter’s home, Martinez-Silva stopped by her brother’s home while asking another friend to tell Gual the relationship was over, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Gual left his mobile home and went to Martinez-Silva’s brother’s home in an attempt to speak with the girlfriend.
The first time, the brother told Gual she wasn’t there, but when he came back a second time minutes later, he allegedly started stabbing the sibling.
Martinez-Silva intervened, only for Gual to allegedly start attacking her in a frenzy, according to the affidavit.
Martinez-Silva was found dead at the scene by cops while her brother suffered multiple stab wounds, including in the head, chest, abdomen and arm. Two other people trying to break up the stabbing were nearly knifed by the suspect, authorities said.
The sibling was taken to hospital and was expected to survive, WHTM reported.
Police found Gual still at the scene in his car with ‘knife in hand’ and blood on the weapon according to docs.
Gual faces charges of homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.
He is being held in Lancaster jail without bail. A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled.
