BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A Canadian national killed his wife and then took his own life in their home at Villa Mikaela in Barangay Singcang-Airport on Friday morning.
Police identified the victim as 47-year-old Leizel Demerin-St. Jean, a native of La Carlota City, Negros Occidental and a call center agent.
She died of multiple stab wounds to her neck and chest.
The suspect, meanwhile, was 65-year-old Ronald St. Jean.
According to the neighbors, they heard the couple arguing loudly around 6 a.m.
The heated argument then turned to cries for help after St. Jean allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed Demerin multiple times, police said.
Meanwhile, the couple’s two young children managed to escape, said Barangay Captain Rosinie Distrito. The victim’s cousin, who was also in the house at the time, called for help.
With the barangay tanods and personnel of the Police Station 8 already racing to the scene to negotiate, St. Jean went back inside the house and pepper sprayed the authorities.
He slit his wrist and stabbed himself in the chest.
When the suspect accidentally slipped from the pool of blood, it prompted the cops and barangay tanods to jump in and make the arrest.
Police Captain Glenn Montaño, Police Station 8 commander, said St. Jean was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
The suspect was declared “dead-on-arrival” at 10:45 a.m. by the attending physician.
Montaño said it is believed that the argument between the couple stemmed from financial problems.
The victim’s cousin also told the police that during the argument, the suspect threatened to burn the passports of their children, while Demerin retaliated, saying she would have St. Jean deported to Canada./PN
