Man is Killed in P.G.; Friend of Accused Murderer Perishes in Accident

Luis Cabrera Jr.

Two persons lost their lives in Punta Gorda on Wednesday. One was murdered; eighteen-year old Luis Cabrera Junior was stabbed to death while at a bar. It is believed the violence was triggered by jealousy since the victim was friendly with a female who works at Dahanny’s Bar. But in a twist of events, one of two men who fled the scene of the murder on motorcycle, perished in an accident.  Alexander Ruiz, in a fit of rage, allegedly stabbed Cabrera with a broken bottle.  Ruiz and his friend, William Garcia drove away and crashed on the San Antonio Road. Garcia perished and Ruiz remains hospitalized at the Southern Regional Hospital. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo was in Punta Gorda today and found out more.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

At around five o’clock on Wednesday evening, eighteen-year-old Luis Cabrera Junior was at Dahanny’s Bar in Punta Gorda Town when he was fatally stabbed. Luis was in the company of a friend and his cousin’s girlfriend who works at the bar. The friends were not there more than twenty minutes when they decided to leave. During their brief time inside the bar, Luis found himself at odds with Alexander Ruiz, a thirty-seven-year-old resident of Trio Village.

Edwin Cabrera

Edwin Cabrera, Brother of Deceased

“His friend who was with him said they were not there more than fifteen, twenty minutes inside this establishment.”

Hipolito Novelo

“Were they drinking?”

Edwin Cabrera

“They were not drinking at the time. I mean they just arrived and they knew the girl that was behind the counter who is my cousin’s girlfriend.”

From what we understand, Ruiz also knew the cousin’s girlfriend. In fact, they were seen socializing at the bar on more than one occasion. For Ruiz, however, Luis’ presence at the bar was unwelcome. According to Luis’s brother, Edwin Cabrera, Ruiz reportedly exhibited signs of rage and jealousy.

Edwin Cabrera

“Apparently the guys that were there, they were there from days before from another friend who we gathered information from. These guys were there and there was some sort of, it showed that it was some sort of jealousy. It shows she wanted to stay away from them to get the wrong impression. That sparked some sort of rage in the other guy.”

…and that rage, according to Edwin, began manifesting.

Edwin Cabrera

“My brother he asked the young lady to change the music that was playing. So then the young lady, knowing them, she handed him the phone so he could play whatever he wanted to hear. He did. That was the second step that led to some more rage. There was apparently a small confrontation and according to his friend, they were already leaving the establishment.”

As Luis and his friend were walking out of Dahanny’s, he was stabbed in the neck with a piece of broken bottle.

Marcus Tracey

Marcus Tracey, Eyewitness

“I hear somebody bawl in the bar and said ‘they stabbed my boy’. Later on, the boy came out from through the back. They brought him out from through the back. He was in a lot of blood. Then he stood up there. There was a taxi girl who was standing in front of the door. The girl said she would not take him. I told her to take him to the hospital because this man stands bad. He will die here and I don’t want him to die here.”

Hipolito Novelo

“He was bleeding a lot?”

Marcus Tracey

“He over bleeds a lot. He was over washed in blood. He was weak, weak. She didn’t want to take him. Some men told her to take him and so she took him to the hospital.”

Luis was rushed to the Punta Gorda Town Hospital where he died while receiving treatment. Police say it was Ruiz who attacked and fatally wounded Luis.

Joseph Myvett

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“Cabrera was socializing at a bar in  Punta Gorda when he seemingly has a misunderstanding with one Alexander Ruiz  who during the altercation broke a bottle and inflicted one stab wound on Cabrera.”

According to reports, Ruiz fled the scene with his friend, thirty-two-year-old William Garcia, also of Trio Village. The men were on this black motorcycle when Ruiz reportedly lost control of the motorcycle while on the road leading to San Antonio Village, killing Garcia who was not involved in the altercation but was present.

ACP Joseph Myvett

“Police later responded to information sometime around six-twenty p.m. on the southern highway somewhere the junction with the San Antonio Road where upon arrival a motorcycle was seen on the right-hand side of the road extensively damaged.  Police learned that the motorcycle was being driven at the time by Alexander Ruiz, thirty-seven of Trio Village. With him was his passenger William Garcia, thirty-two years who was observed motionless at the scene of the accident. He was later pronounced dead.”

Ruiz remains under police guard at the Southern Regional Hospital undergoing treatment. He is listed in critical but stable condition. He is facing charges for the fatal stabbing and Garcia’s death. Hipolito Novelo, News Five.