Musician Lascelle Martinez Stabbed to Death in P.G.
Residents of Punta Gorda Town are tonight reeling from the senseless murder of one of their beloved musicians and former band mate of the famed Coolie Rebels. Thirty-five-year-old Lascelle Martinez, son of former Toledo East Area Representative Peter Eden Martinez, was stabbed to death around midday today at his residence. The deadly attack preceded another incident during which a woman, identified as Tianne Figueroa, was also injured. The motive of the murder, it is believed, is the result of jealousy. According to Martinez’s roommate, they were inside their home at a West and Victoria streets address when a vehicle arrived. The driver of the red Ford pickup alighted the vehicle and requested to see Martinez. When the best friend notified his roommate that he had a visitor waiting outside, Martinez left his meal to attend to the individual. Shortly thereafter, a verbal exchange about the young lady ensued, before Martinez was fatally stabbed. News Five understands that the suspect, identified as Simeon Lino, has been detained by Punta Gorda police. Earlier this evening, we spoke by phone with Ainslie Valerio, the roommate who witnessed the tragic ordeal.
Voice of: Ainslie Valerio, Roommate of Deceased
“Well at about eleven-thirty, more or less around that time, I was inside my house ironing my uniform to get ready to go to work, you know. So like about eleven or so, eleven-thirty, a vehicle just stopped in front of my house, a red Ford Ranger stopped in front of my house. And I walked outside and I went to the roadside and the young man said, “Mr. Ducky” because my nickname is Ducky, “Ducky, can I see if Lascelle is there?” So I tell the young man, “Yes, but he’s having lunch.” That’s what I told the young man. So the young man said, “I just want to talk to Lascelle a little bit.” So I said, “Okay, no problem. Let me call Lascelle for you.” So I called Lascelle and told Lascelle, “Breds, somebody wahn sih yoh outside.” So he said, “Who?” I told him it’s Simon Lino. So he said, “For what?” and I said well I’m not really sure, go and check. So Lascelle put down his food and went to see what the young man wanted. So I went back to iron and I left them to talk [to each other] man to man. So from there I heard Lascelle say, “Well yoh haffu talk to yoh gial mi bredda.” That’s what I heard Lascelle say. So I stopped ironing and I went outside because I know the voice was getting too stronger. So when I walked outside there were some clothes on the veranda because he washed his clothes this morning at my house and from there when I moved a towel in front of me I saw, well he started stabbing. I then took one of the towel and I threw it in front of him, you know, to avoid stabbing my brother. By the time I looked around and asked for my friend, he had jumped through the back window and probably he was heading to the hospital, you know, and from there, like about twenty minutes after, I heard that my friend passed away who is Lascelle Martinez. It’s a sad situation right now, it happened so fast until, you know, I managed to see what I [could do.] I then called the police also too to get police assistance.”
Isani Cayetano
“I understand that there was a second stabbing incident involving the young man’s girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, whatever relation they have. Can you [tell us about that?]”
Voice of: Ainslie Valerio
“They stay at least like three blocks away from us and we were not, me and my best friend Lascelle were not aware of that stabbing incident there. We were at our own house minding our own business, you know, and we were talking and he was already having lunch and I started to iron my uniform and say, “Breds, I’m heading to work in a few.” He said, “When you go to work I’ll be at home here relaxing with my bitters.” That’s what he said and from there we stopped talking and then the incident occurred.”
News Five will have more on this unfortunate incident in Thursday’s newscast.
