HIALEAH, Fla. – A woman and her son were arrested Tuesday, a day after the son fatally stabbed his mother’s estranged husband outside their apartment in Hialeah, authorities said.
The incident unfolded Monday morning in the 1200 block of West 25th Place.
According to their arrest reports, Jason Gonzalez, 18, told detectives that he was awakened by the loud commotion of his mother, Yunet Enriquez, 39, fighting with her estranged husband in the living room of their home.
Police said the mother and son claimed that Enriquez’s husband, Juan Jose Mesa, 45, punched both of them inside the apartment and they both tried to force him out of their home.
According to the arrest reports, the suspects claimed that Mesa forced his way back into the home and the fight continued outside after he punched them.
Gonzalez said he then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went outside to help his mother, authorities said.
Police said the mother and son claimed that Mesa had Enriquez in a bear hug and was dragging her to his car, so the son charged at Mesa and stabbed him as they were fighting.
They said Mesa eventually got into his car and ran over them, the arrest reports stated.
Mesa was later found unresponsive and bloody on the side of a road next to his vehicle in the area of West 20th Avenue and 35th Street.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by Hialeah Fire Rescue.
While the mother and son initially told detectives the same story, surveillance video from the apartment complex showed a different version of events, authorities said.
Local 10 News received a copy of the video Wednesday, which shows the estranged couple appearing to argue outside the apartment.
They both go inside and Mesa is seen running out of the home a short time later. Two people, who appear to be Enriquez and Gonzalez, are seen running after him.
Authorities said Enriquez was caught on camera forcefully trying to open Mesa’s driver’s side door as he was trying to close it.
The mother and son eventually force the door open and Gonzalez stabs the victim as he is sitting in the car, authorities said.
Police said Gonzalez confessed to concocting the original story with his mother and admitted that Mesa never tried to kidnap her.
Gonzalez told detectives that he stabbed Mesa because he had punched him and his mother inside their home, authorities said.
Police said Enriquez also confessed to initially lying to authorities, and admitted that Mesa never dragged her or pulled her hair.
She also said she allowed him inside her apartment to talk about their separation and Mesa cheating on her with his ex-wife, the arrest reports stated.
A woman who identified herself as a friend of Enriquez’s told Local 10 News that Mesa was “extremely abusive” to Enriquez and repeatedly threatened to kill her if she left him.
“Yunet is a beautiful, priceless human and I only wish she had taken everyone’s advice to stay away from him,” Johanna Rodriguez said.
According to Rodriguez, Enriquez’s arm was broken not too long ago by her husband.
Rodriguez described her friend as a “humble, hard-working mother” and said that she hope God helps her friend through this situation.
Enriquez and Gonzalez were both arrested on charges of second-degree murder and armed burglary with a battery.
They appeared in bond court Wednesday morning and were ordered held without bond.