A man killed his partner, then himself, in Puerto Rico early Thursday, days before they were set to return to Massachusetts, in a shooting heard by the woman's daughter, according to authorities and the woman's family.
Zuleyka Santiago Fuentes, 36, was shot by her partner, identified as 31-year-old Benny J. Nieves Cabrera, after an argument near a gas station near a resort in Dorado.
Investigators said Santiago Fuentes and Nieves had traveled from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico to resolve a legal matter and were supposed to leave the island on Saturday.
About 2:40 a.m. Thursday morning, the woman decided to pack up her luggage and leave the apartment where they were staying, according to authorities. Police said Nieves intercepted her in his car, got out of the vehicle and shot her, then shot himself.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
The shooting was heard by Santiago Fuentes' daughter, who lives in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood — she was on the phone with her mother after she left the apartment, according to Fuentes' mother, Maria Ortiz, who spoke to Telemundo Puerto Rico.
Police have spoken to witnesses to the crime, according to Puerto Rican Police Lt. Coronel Roberto Rivera, auxiliary superintendent of Criminal Investigations.
"What they see is the moment in which he approaches her, fires a shot and then walks towards the vehicle and then a shot is fired near the car from which he got out," Rivera said.
Police said they were continuing to investigate the case.
The couple had only been dating for three months, Ortiz said, but Santiago Fuentes said she was happy.
They were in Puerto Rico for an appointment with plans to fly back to Boston Saturday, but when Nieves decided he didn't want to go back, Santiago Fuentes made the decision to leave immediately, according to Ortiz.
"The last conversation was, 'I love you, I might talk to you tomorrow.' That was the last one. 'I love you,' 'I love you more,'" Ortiz said.
Now, Ortiz says, she wishes she knew what had been going on before it was too late.
"It's horrible, horrible. I'm going to live with this all my life," she said.
