Peter King strangles mother-in-law
At the top of our newscast tonight is a most unusual homicide; it happened on Monday night. The suspect is the son-in-law of the victim and a well known chef in the Ladyville area. Peter King is expected to be charged for the murder of Argentina Arevalo Garcia, a resident from Indian Church Village. Arevalo was visiting her daughter, who is separated from King when her life was cut short. What triggered her murder is not known, but there was an apparent attempt at a cover-up. News Five’s Jose Sanchez found out that King was surprised with the body by the cops.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
The mother of Leslie Garcia was killed on Monday night in Ladyville. The alleged murderer is Garcia’s ex-common law husband, Peter King, the proprietor of King’s Cuisine Restaurant, located outside the international airport. Argentina Arevalo Garcia came to bring her grandchildren to see their mother, Leslie Garcia. Garcia was visiting the residence and restaurant of her ex.
Leslie Garcia, Daughter of Murder Victim
leslie garcia
“Well she’s fifty and she was to turn fifty on January twenty-first. She just came yesterday and we were going to plan for Christmas because we usually spend Christmas over there. She just came and left the baby. My baby was with her for almost 2 weeks. We decided to bring back the baby. Well so she came and bring the baby but then after that Peter asked her to please stay after twelve o clock and help mind the baby. And after that he asked me to inform my mom that he was ready to go to the junction and drop her so that she can ketch the bus. That was it, I see my ma gone. No problem, no discussion between him and her, no problem no discussion between him and her. None at all.”
But Peter then relayed a series of lies to Garcia to cover up the murder he had allegedly just committed inside a blue SUV.
Leslie Garcia
“By two, two-thirty, he called me and told me he knocked down the person by Perez Street in Ladyville. And the thing is that he noh have no license; either he no have no license or the vehicle. He told me he is hiding from the police, so I called him and I told him to get back to the incident where it happened and find the person and arrange something. He said he did. That was around five o’clock. Even the chief security of Ladyville called him because they are close friends to him. They ask him if he was ok and he said yes he is ok. He didn’t explain it to the chief, but he already fixed the problem. He said he went to mile thirteen on the highway and on his way coming back, the car bruk down and he is trying to fix it. I came home and I tried to mind my babies and I said they were ok.”
About four the morning inside the restaurant and residence leased from Embassy Hotel, Garcia received a phone call. It came from King’s phone but she did not answer. She did not know that the person calling was a police officer. Apparently King was stopped by officers on the Northern Highway after he failed to stopped at the airport road junction. The body of Argentina Garcia and three paperback bibles were found inside. He confessed on the roadside.
Leslie Garcia
“Bout round seven o’clock I called him to say I’m taking my baby back to the village. That’s when police answered and told me my mother was dead. My mom and him didn’t have a good relationship any at all because he always use to be a person who miserable when she deh around. My mom always try to cooperate with this relationship not because of him but because of us. I could see that regardless she never like him, she always used to try. I mean the things she use to do, she was there helping us. He never appreciated. The way how it seems, he dah if she neva mi get hurt this time, he was going to kill me and my kids. I don’t know how true it is that true. I don’t know and today by a coincidence, if we mi stay together, we mi wah turn five years together—today the fourteenth.”
Garcia had left King over two months ago. She says there was abuse in the relationship.
Leslie Garcia
“The last two times I left him, the first time he tried to strangle me the same way he did my mother. And I get away. I try forgive him for that. And then this time when I left him he beat me up. I told him this is enough there is no way me and you could get back. But every time I try to tell him that probably it could workout, just for try play smart with him just that he would leave me alone, but it neva did. He said he would never get a woman if it is not me. My girl is two years and a half, Leah and my baby boy, he is four, Joshua.”
Jose Sanchez
“At this point you’re in a supportive role for your sister?”
Brother of Leslie Garcia
“That’s right. Especially for my younger sister, who she will take it harder. But now I guess we just have to move on deal with the problem right now and see what happen afterwards.”
Jose Sanchez
“I guess it’s all about the kids right now. How difficult or what can you do now. I mean you have to tell the kids not only have they lost their grandmother but the father also.”
Leslie Garcia
“He destroyed my life completely. He changed fi we life completely. My kids now noh have nobody as a father to take care of them. My mom gone from me and from my kids life. She was the only one that always was there helping me in every way. She raise my daughter from she two months to this age so I had a lot to appreciate my mom and I sorry I couldn’t told her that. Only god knows how I feel and I just hope that god forgive her for everything she done wrong. Cause whatever, she was a good person.”
This morning officers combed the area near the restaurant in Ladyville for additional evidence. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
King has reportedly confessed to the killing and it is expected that by Wednesday, he will be charged with the murder of Arevalo, who is the one hundred and twenty-first victim this year.
Looks like they all believe that they can get away with murder in this society, this is very sad and I have one thing to say to the women in Belize if you are in a relationship and he or she is beating on you, it’s definitely time to sever it or you are condoning the violence.
another day another murder so what else is new my belize my belize so sorry we no live like the way god wanted us to live loving and kind to each other
when will this madness stop in Belize
Men o Men again . its not that we blame every men . but they are very selfish , over possesive , ignorant person when they cover jelousy toward anyone including a mother , their spouse mother. He must want his mom mind the babies. He must have that anger building because Arevalo gave all for her daughter no matter what it entailed. That is a loving mother. Well Mrs Leslie should go to Women Department for counseling and help to over come this. Mrs Leslie sue fi !@$$ for death of her mom. least could do is win custody of her children and dont allow that bastard near her kids. he is a murderer.
that man should be killed the same way. no mercy for him.
It could have been avoided had she left the man at the first sign of aggresive behaviour. He tried to strangle her and she still went back he beat her up and she still went back. Its sad that some women have absolutely no self love and put up with so much bs. Women need to learn to love themselves first because if they give a dam about themselves they would never allow any man to treat them badly he either treats them good or it is over.
THIS IS MURDER…………IF WE CAN’T EXECUTE HIM………….. LIFE IN JAIL!!!
Now……….. HE CAN BE A CHEF AT THE HATTIE-VILLE RAMADA……….
but…………………… THE PRISON FARM WOULD BE BETTER……..There he can be productive and PAY BACK HIS DEBT TO SOCIETY.
BUILD A PRISON FARM IN TOLEDO………
SYMPATHY TO THE GARCIA FAMILY!!!!!
May she R.I.P.
Shy, too many of our men are bullies & show appreciation for nothing including the women in their lives & most of it comes from watching their fathers or the men in their mothers’ lives abuse women. The problem is not always lack of self love, we need better support for abused women. Until you have been stalked by an @$$ & had to resort violence or threatened to take some fool’s life if he did not back off, you may not get it. If you are not tough, these animals will break you, look at the next story, in our name, our Government is prosecuting a battered woman for murder.
This woman did nothing but love her child & grandchildren more than she disliked this animal & his ignorance convinced him that death was her reward. Can we start out by choking him, bringing him back, do it a few times & then hanging him.
Belize is getting worst everyday. But someone asked, When will this be finished? it won’t but will
get worst for the days to come. thats for sure!
If a man can put his hand around your neck and choke you for trying to leave him, you should know that he is capable of killing. I wouldn’t have let my mother be alone with him in a car when I know he hate her so much. I hear about too many cases like this, women it’s time to get wise and recognize the danger to your life and your family. When you see possesive men like this and even abusive one’s ….run…run…run for your lives! And now because Leslie chose to stay with this man….her ma life cut short! Shame…I would not be able to sleep from guilt of bringing this animal into my family life to kill my mother. Now the only way to honor your mother is to make sure he never see freedom on his kids again!
mY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE AREVALO,GARCIA FAMILY….. ESPECIALLY EMERSON,LESLIE ,BRENDA AND THE YOUNG BABIES…………………………..
to mr earl grey!!!!!!!!!
why build a prison farm in toledo? dont spread the badness send him where all bad men goes. toledo is a very beautiful place and dont want to be contaminated by these jerks.
Condolences to the family,especially the children who no longer have a father and whose face the will eventually forget. It is so sad what has become of our country….so small, yet so violent.
Sad………Very sad. : – (….. This jack @ss is less than a man. No real man in their right mind would do something like this. Any man that abuse women are lower than the scum of the earth. The verdict is in. Death by a thousand cuts, and hope he rots in the lowest level of hell along with all the other women beater.
First of all, as a society we need to look at the underlying reason why things happen not be so quick to pass judgment and punishment. I look at the blogs here and I think we are starting to sound like police, judge and jurors ourselves. Kill him, execute him, life in jail I think you should save your smart comments to yourself and look in your own relationship for abuse. Physical or otherwise. Lets not have the “police” mentality.
Anyway, I believe this woman is also responsible for her own mother death. She knew how abusive this man is yet put herself, her children and mother in harms way. PLEASE LADDIES understand this, if the guy becomes a habitual physical abuser and threaten your life. LEAVE, or TAKE ACTION because he is not going to stop until somebody gets seriously hurt. PUT A STOP TO IT QUICK. DO NOT WAIT.
Oh, one more thing, RESPECT YOUR MAN. I have to admit, some woman push the man to the limit. Always be respectful and honest. Treat him the way you want to be treated not just use him and toss him like an old broom or this could be you in news next time.
R, Terry, respect is a two way street & none of us should lay with someone we do not respect.
No one is responsible for this man’s behavior but him, no one should put up with abuse & nothing this girl or her mother did or said deserved the death penalty…
R.Terry-TEXAS you are a @$$ !!! you sound like you are a women beater too.in a relationship you should respect each other its not a one sided thing its both of you .stop the violent.
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE GARCIA FAMILY IT IS REALLY SAD WHEN U HAVE TO LOOSE A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE JUST BECAUSE OF A LOUSY GOOD FI NOTHING BASTARD MAN . WORDS CANT EXPLAIN THE WAY HOW I FEEL TO THAT IDIOTIC MAN . TO THE FAMIY JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD UP GOD NOH LIKE UGLY HE WILL PAY IN HIS OWN TIME .