A 33-year-old social media influencer, beauty entrepreneur, and mother of three was shot by her estranged husband in front of their daughter.
The incident, investigated as a murder-suicide by the police, occurred in the parking lot of the Pearlridge Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on Friday, December 22, 2023.
Theresa Cachuela, 33, the owner of House of Glam Hawaii LLC in Waipahu, was shot in the head by 44-year-old Jason Cachuela.
Their young daughter, reported to be six or eight years of age, witnessed the shooting and informed the police that her father was the perpetrator.
After committing the crime, Jason Cachuela fled the scene in a gray Mazda and subsequently shot and killed himself.
The incident took place just two weeks after Theresa Cachuela had successfully obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Jason. The Honolulu Police Department had served the TRO and confiscated Jason’s five registered firearms.
Police Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes emphasized that this was not a random act but stemmed from the couple’s troubled relationship.
Her mother, Lucita Ani-Nihoa, expressed her anguish, revealing the deep trauma inflicted on the youngest daughter who witnessed the entire ordeal.
Ani-Nihoa recounted her daughter’s attempts to seek help and protect her children, criticizing the justice system for failing to provide adequate protection despite the known threats.
Cachuela had previously detailed in the TRO petition how Jason had threatened to kill himself in her presence, further traumatizing her with a knife-threatening incident in Waikiki. Despite her efforts to help him, Jason’s behavior deteriorated, leading Theresa to file for divorce.
Ani-Nihoa described her daughter as someone who had been trying to escape an abusive relationship. Theresa had informed her relatives of the abuse and stalking she endured at the hands of Jason, which led her to file the restraining order.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the family to cover funeral expenses.