A Florida "madman" accused of fatally beating a soon-to-be mom of three was allegedly involved in a "history of domestic disputes" with the woman leading up to her death.
Victor Chavez, 38, faces two counts of second-degree murder, according to Broward County jail records. He was arrested Saturday for the alleged death of 41-year-old expectant mom of two Delfina "Lily" Perez Chilel at their Hallandale Beach, Florida home, police said, according to WPLG-TV.
An investigation was triggered over the weekend when Perez Chilel failed to get the couple's kids, 8 and 9, from daycare. A family member was forced to pick them up and bring them home. Although they noticed the couple's cars parked in the driveway, no one answered the front door when they arrived to drop off the children.
"The family members informed officers about the parent's history of domestic disputes, concerns over the father's mental health, and prior threats," Hallandale Beach Police Spokesperson Grace Mariot said in a statement obtained by the station.
Responding officers forced their way into the home, where they found Chavez in a bedroom, "lethargic and unresponsive," said police, while Perez Chilel suffered "severe injuries" in a bathroom.
She was pronounced dead on the scene and Chavez was transported to the hospital for treatment. He allegedly confessed to murder and attempted suicide, police said, the outlet reported.
"He had the face of a madman," neighbor Kathy Morales told the station in Spanish. "It was obvious that he was not a normal person."
A GoFundMe launched by the victim's sister, Cosme Abel De Leon Mazariegos, stated the Perez Chilel was an "amazing mother, daughter, sister, wife, and friend. She was part of our lives for a little over 41 years and already we feel lost without her and the smile she had for everyone that met her."
"I am left to raise her two beautiful children along with mine now. Their lives will not be easy. They are the true victims of this tragedy. I pray we as a family are enough and that we do right by them."
"Tragically, she was a victim of domestic abuse and now she is no longer with us. Our niece and nephew have lost both their parents in the blink of an eye. We are beside ourselves trying to understand. So many unanswered questions as the case is under investigation. My parents await in agony for the return home of their firstborn," the description read, in part, describing the fundraiser's goal to raise enough money to send Perez Chilel's remains back to Guatemala. "The travel costs of her body are beyond our reach."
A judge ordered Chavez undergo a mental health evaluation. It's unclear if he entered pleas to the charges.
