While many households were getting ready to bring in the New Year, villagers in Rancho Dolores were dealing with a disturbing domestic tragedy in that small community. Investigations reveal that forty seven year old Orlando Mai was set on fire by his common law wife fifty one year old Viola Pook. Police investigations reveal that around seven on Wednesday night the couple were home when they started to argue. It is then reported that Pook threw a combustible liquid all over Mai and set him on fire.
When police arrived at the residence they found the badly burned victim lying on the ground. He was rushed by BERT Ambulance to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Unconfirmed reports are that just before Orlando Mai slipped into a coma, he was able to say that it was his common law wife who threw something flammable over him after he turned his face to her to about food. Mai never got a chance finish his story because he lost consciousness. Throughout Wednesday night and Thursday he remained on life support at the KHMH but around five this morning Orlando Mai died.
Today as police get ready to charge Viola Pook for the murder of her common law husband, the Mai family is left in shock and say they only want justice. 7NEWS caught up with the grieving family outside of the KHMH only a few minutes after they had received the bad news.
Bernadine Mai, Sister of Murder Victim
“Well I just want to ask her what she and my brother had between the two of them because I didn’t expect she to do this to my brother. If they couldn’t live they could have just separated from each other.”
Bernadine Mai says her brother forty seven year old Orlando Mai also believes that her brother was deliberately set on fire and killed by his common law wife fifty two year old Viola Pook.
Bernadine Mai,
“90% of his body burnt up. They said was in a coma so he couldn’t live. He was 90% real burnt up, burned burned so I don’t know why she did this to my brother. I don’t know what they had between the two of them.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Sergeant Zuniga, when the cops arrived on the scene what is it you observed?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga, Investigating Officer
“Upon arriving on the scene in Rancho Dolores Village at Mr. Orlando’s
residence, I saw him lying down in front of the kitchen door with all over his body burnt, covered with blanket and sheet, partly naked whenever I lifted up the sheet.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What happened?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“Well according to information received that he and his common law wife had a misunderstanding and as a result of the misunderstanding he was lit with fire.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Was kerosene thrown on him?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“Well according to information, they threw gasoline on his and they lit him on fire.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Who threw the gas on him?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“Well like what I said, the investigation is still going on but we have somebody detained.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Who is that individual?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“We have one Miss Viola Pook detained, his common-law wife.”
Bernadine Mai,
“I just want to see justice because he didn’t have a kid with her, he didn’t have anything, he had all his family in the San Ignacio areas; he didn’t have anyone down here.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
This couple had a troubled relationship as to why this thing ended like this?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“Well according to information there was some misunderstanding among themselves.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you think more than likely she will be charged, because he died this morning, so she will be charged with his murder?
Sgt. Aaron Zuniga,
“Yes ma’am she will be charged any time today for murder.”
Sources tell 7NEWS that after police took into custody Viola Pook confessed to what she had done. Late this evening, she appeared in court, charged with murder and was remanded until January ninth.
