NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. – Two parents’ lives were torn apart Monday after their son was shot and killed by his girlfriend’s ex in North Bay Village.
Forty-one-year-old Jose Aranibar-Camacho is accused of shooting and killing 28-year-old Banner Vidal and wounding Brittany Springmyer, whom Aranibar-Camacho shares a daughter with.
Miami-Dade police initially reported that Springmyer and Aranibar-Camacho were married, but Springmyer’s family later said that the two “were never married and had been separated for months.”
Vidal and Springmyer had recently moved in together to Springmyer’s North Bay Village apartment, Vidal’s parents, Jorge and Belkys, said.
“(He was) very happy with the girlfriend,” Jorge Vidal said in an interview with Local 10 News Wednesday. “He told me ‘I (found) the lady. The lady (has) a kid.”
Noon report:
Police said Aranibar-Camacho told detectives he was angry Springmyer had found a new partner.
“He (shot) him in the head, my son. And he (shot) him in the body,” Jorge Vidal said. “And he (shot) the lady in the stomach.”
According to a police report, Aranibar-Camacho “arrived at the victims’ apartment over two hours prior to the homicide and waited in his vehicle thinking he was going to ‘take’ (Banner Vidal’s) ‘soul.’”
Springmyer’s 2-year-old daughter witnessed it all, according to family members.
Aranibar-Camacho’s confession to police was captured on a neighbor’s cell phone.
“I killed my ex’s dumba-- boyfriend,” he told a North Bay Village police officer in Spanish. ”I shot my girlfriend too.”
The Vidals said Springmyer is still being cared for at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. They say her condition has improved and she’s alert.
Springmyer’s family released a statement to Local 10 News:
“Monday morning, our daughter Brittany was attacked and her boyfriend was murdered in front of her 2 year old daughter. The shooter is Brittany’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her child. Brittany and him were never married, and had been separated for months. Our family welcomed Brittany’s new boyfriend to Thanksgiving dinner only days ago. They were so excited about this new phase of their lives. Her ex-boyfriend did this out of pure jealously, an inability to move on and a complete disregard for his daughter’s wellbeing.
Our daughter Brittany is an amazing person, but a mother first. She adores her 2 year old little girl, and does everything to create the best life for her. She’s also artistic, creative and passionate about her job teaching dance. Right now, we are focused on our daughter who is still in critical condition, and our granddaughter is safe in our custody. Our family greatly appreciates prayers for them both.”
Springmyer family statement
In the meantime, the Vidal family is struggling to come to grips with their son’s loss.
“He’s a young man, 28 years (old), dedicated to work. No drink, no smoke,” Jorge Vidal said. “The family is destroyed, completely.”
For the Vidals, the tragedy is compounded by the fact that they lost their other son, a construction worker, to an electrical accident several years ago.
Aranibar-Camacho remained in jail on no bond as of Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and child neglect.
“I hope he never gets out of prison,” Belkys Vidal said. “He killed my son for no reason. My son was a good boy.”
A GoFundMe page has been created to help Springmyer with her medical bills. The page can be found by clicking here.
A GoFundMe page was also created for Vidal to “help the family obtain legal counsel in which they are seeking the maximum sentence here in Florida and help ease the cost of his sudden burial expenses.”
If you would like to donate, click here.