And while the Palma family mourns, a woman is grieving the loss of her home after it was purposely set on fire. 40-year-old Dione Requena was at home on Saturday morning when, around 11, her ex-husband allegedly barged into her home in Biscayne, assaulted her, and lit the structure on fire.
The police communications officer told us more.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"She was at home when her ex husband entered that home and was actually harming her physically. The neighbors came to her rescue, she managed to get out of her own house, and a few minutes later, neighbors report that they saw him leaving the house and that house was engulfed in flames. So we know that he's being looked at as a suspect for the arson of that home."
Reporter:
"Sir we understand that he has already been charged, he was charged this morning, right?"
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"Yeah, he was charged recently, because in this report it says he was detained pending. So we know that one arson solved, the other one is still being investigated."
And her ex-husband, 40-year-old Lyndon Requena, was in court today to answer to the charge of arson. The Magistrate explained that due to the charge being an indictable offense, she could not take a plea. Requena then told the court that his life has suddenly changed for him after being married to his wife for 14 years, and that there are plenty of reports against him for domestic abuse. He added that the court proceedings he has been dealing with in both the criminal and family courts have been taking a toll on him mentally.
Despite not being able to give a plea, he said he isn't guilty of arson, but admitted that he was wrong by going near his wife since she has a protection order against him.
In fact, Requena had recently been given bail at the Family Court for another breach of the protection order, and in addition, he had also been given bail at the lower court after spending 3 months on remand for burglary.
And while arson is a bailable offense, the prosecutor objected to it because Requena is expected to be charged for injuring his wife. He also told the court that Requena has breached three protection orders in the past.
Requena admitted to the breaches and was denied bail. He will be back in court for the arson charge on November 1st. His burglary trial is set for November 30th.
