It is supposed to be one of the happiest days of the year for families, but on Christmas day one Belize City family was torn apart when a mother of three was killed by her husband of ten years. Police say that 32-year-old Carol Gabourel was fatally stabbed by her husband 40 year old Cecil Gabourel at their home on Neal Penn's Road Extension, in front of their children. Investigators say jealousy may have sparked the argument but the family says it was over something much more petty, so petty that it might surprise you. Here's the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
These bloodstains mark the spot where Carol Gabourel fell after she was stabbed by her husband Cecil Gabourel on Christmas day. Carol was stabbed after the couple had an argument. Carol's family says that the argument was about, of all things, food. More specifically -Carol's younger sister Rosalyn Ogaldez says it was over a ham that Cecil wanted a piece of.
Rosalyn Ogaldez, Sister of Deceased
"My nephew told the police that her husband wanted to cut a piece of her ham and she told him that food was in the pot, chicken was in the pot. I guess that was because she had already cut enough off of it and she didn't want him to eat any off of it as yet. She told him food was in the pot and he was already drinking and they started to fight and that is how it led up to this killing incident."
Carol was chased and brutally stabbed twice. She died a short while later on the street in front of her home on Neal's Penn Road. Her three sons - the oldest twelve years and the youngest nine witnessed the murder. Rosalyn says the boys are trying to cope.
Rosalyn Ogaldez,
"One of them felt that their mom had just gone to the hospital because of a little stab and she would have come out. When I told him that she was pronounced dead, they bawled and they get it over. I told them to be strong."
Carol and Cecil were married for more than a decade. The relationship wasn't abusive but Rosalyn says she had warned carol about Cecil's drinking problem.
Rosalyn Ogaldez,
"She used to tell us that he used to threaten her and said she would kill him and thing, especially when he was drinking and she would want to go take her walk and thing. When he came home and once he is under liquor, he would threaten her."
Keith Swift,
Did you ever advise your sister to leave Cecil because of his drinking problem?
Rosalyn Ogaldez,
"Yes I advised her but she said that she didn't want to break up her home because they had children together and they are married and thing."
And Rosalyn says her sister shouldn't and didn't have to die.
Rosalyn Ogaldez,
"He could have walked away because it was in front of the kids and thing and it wasn't necessary. Although he said to the police that he didn't expected that he would kill her, he only stabbed her, the thing that hurts me is that after he finished stabbing her, he left her and ride off and told people that he had just killed his wife so I think he meant to do what he did and justice will have to be served."
Justice - which won't bring this mother of three back, but will at least make grieving a bit easier.
Cecil Gabourel was this morning arraigned on a charge of murder and remanded to the Hattieville Prison without bail. The couple's oldest son turned 12 on Boxing Day, the day after he saw his father allegedly murder his mother. Carol worked in the kitchen at the Karl Heusner Hospital while Cecil worked as a security guard at a drug store.
