Hialeah, FL: Gruesome discovery highlights domestic violence spike in Hialeah

BY MELISSA SANCHEZ

MSANCHEZ@ELNUEVOHERALD.COM

Authorities discovered the bodies of an elderly Hialeah couple in their home Monday, the result of an apparent murder-suicide.
This latest tragedy ups the number of women killed in domestic violence-related incidents in that city to 10 this year. That means that two of every three homicide victims so far have been women.
Roberto Vázquez, 72, fatally stabbed his wife Nilda, 67, in their home at 225 W. 60 Street, said Carl Zogby, spokesman for the Hialeah Police Departament.
Authorities say Roberto Vázquez had a history of mental illness and that police had been responded four times in as many years to domestic-related disturbances at the couple's home.
On Tuesday, one of the couple's daughters declined to speak to a reporter. Police said the couple had three adult children.
A neighbor said Roberto Vázquez was a retired cabinet maker and that Nilda worked at Goodwill Industries in Miami. They'd lived in the same quiet neighborhood for 23 years.
The bodies were discovered Monday after a concerned friend of Nilda Vázquez called police to say her friend wasn't picking up her phone.
Inside the house, police found both dead from knife wounds, Zogby added.
Monday's gruesome discovery highlights the alarming number of murders of women this year in Hialeah. So far in 2010, there have been 15 victims of homicide in the city limits. Of those, 10 were women.
Last year, only two of Hialeah's 10 murder victims were women, according to the Miami Dade Medical Examiner Department.
Speaking of this year's cases, Zogby said all were related to some sort of domestic violence. He added that this year's numbers were significantly affected by the horrific June massacre in Yoyito Café-Restaurant that left four women dead. In that case, an estranged husband walked into his wife's workplace, shot and killed her and three of her female co-workers, then committed suicide a few blocks away.
The high-profile shooting was followed by so many other murders of women that the mayor of Hialeah launched a public information campaign against domestic violence earlier this month.
Prior to Monday's discovery of the apparent murder suicide, the most recent victim was Yoanys Martinez Avila, 31. Police say that on Dec. 1, the mother of two was strangled to death by her husband while their young son watched.
``Most of these were not unavoidable,'' said Zogby. ``They're not victims of an overnight occurance. They'd been victims of years and it escalated.''
Anybody who wants to learn more about domestic violence and the free resources for victims in Hialeah and throughout Miami-Dade County can pick up information at the Hialeah Police Department, 5555 East 8th Avenue, ask to speak with a domestic violence detective at (305) 687-2525, or visitar a http://www.hialeahfl.gov/.
For other resources, call any of the following hotlines and agencies:
Crimestoppers: 305-471-TIPS
Office of the State Attorney: 305-547-0100
Switchboard of Miami: 305-358-1640
Coordinated Victim Assistance Center: 305-285-5900
Florida Immigration Advocacy Hotline: 305-537-1106
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
National Resource Center: 1-800-537-2238