A Hawaii-based influencer was killed in a horrific murder-suicide by her estranged husband in front of her 11-year-old daughter, according to authorities.
On Friday morning, Theresa Cachuela, 33, was heading to a bank at a shopping center in Honolulu, according to KHON. Her husband, Jason Calchuela, 44, approached her in the parking lot and shot her. When first responders arrived on the scene, they found Theresa with “fatal gunshot wounds.”
“It was about 9:30 a.m., I was about to eat breakfast but then my sister called me crying and I already knew in my mind it was my mom,” said Theresa’s 15-year-old son, Tyzen Gante. “And my sister was calling, saying, ‘Mom got shot.’”
“And the worst happened,” added Gante about arriving on the scene. “Everyone was there, my mom’s car was there. I couldn’t see my mom though but she got shot and she’s finally in a better place.”
The police began a search for the husband, but discovered his body a few hours later behind a Waipahu residence and recovered a gun from the scene.
Theresa’s family claims she filed a temporary restraining order on her husband which was finalized this week. The conditions of the order included staying 100 yards away from Theresa, surrendering his firearms, and working out visitation rights for him to spend Christmas Eve with his daughter, per KHON. Her family also said that she used to live with Jason’s family, but moved out last year.
In the filing for the restraining order, Theresa alleged that Jason had made threats to take his own life and would show up to her new home unannounced. “I am doing this to protect myself, my children, and to hopefully get him the help he needs,” she reportedly wrote.
The order was filed on Dec. 8 and days later officers with the Specialized Services Division recovered five of the suspect’s registered firearms.
Stephen Johnson, Theresa’s father, along with his sister, Kathleen, visited the site where his daughter was killed on Christmas Day.
“The police are supposed to protect,” said Stephen, who called his daughter his “best friend.”
“They didn’t. They failed my niece, they failed her miserably,” added Theresa who condemned the “heinous” act that “could have been prevented.”
“This cycle of violence gotta come to an end,” her father continued. “I say this to the fathers out there: ‘Fathers handle your sons, get a hold of them, teach them to treat our women with the dignity and respect they require.”
A cousin of Theresa’s confirmed to KHOU that her children are being taken care of by their aunt.
Theresa was a beauty influencer with over 20,000 followers on Instagram and often referenced her religious beliefs. A GoFundMe was created to cover her funeral expenses and has reached over $40,000.
