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Kill Thy Neighbor?
posted (June 15, 2018)
Last night, our headline story was the late breaking news of one man who was shot and killed by his neighbor on East Collet Canal, near to the Pound Yard Bridge.

Well tonight, we can report that the victim is 50 year-old Jose Villanueva, and the man who police have detained for his shooting death is 57 year-old Manuel Pacheco, the well-known Jeweler who has his business place set up right next door.

So, what happened, and why did it end up with 1 neighbor dead, and the other facing a possible murder charge? Well, our news team has been investigating, and Daniel Ortiz found out that the two had a long history of disputes:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
Just before 6:00 yesterday evening, police officers detained 57 year-old Manuel Pacheco, pending investigation for the fatal shooting of his next-door neighbor, 50 year-old Jose Villanueva.

The cops found Villanueva's lifeless body inside his yard, seen here. Bullet injuries were observed on his left arm, his right upper arm, the left side of his back, and the right side of his abdomen.

News quickly spread that it happened, and the busy Pound Yard bridge area was swarmed with bystanders trying to find out for themselves what happened.

Because it was a possible murder scene that they were dealing with, the cops prevented members from the grieving Villanueva family from getting near to his body. That was obviously distressing to his loved ones who were demanding answers as to why he was killed.

Pacheco, the well-known jeweler who's based on East Collet Canal, near the Pound Yard Bridge, is accused of pulling his weapon and opening fire on Villanueva, fatally injuring him.

It is unclear what led to the deadly shooting, but the cops believe that the two men had some sort of quarrel which escalated to this tragedy.

Today, Villanueva's common-law wife of 19 years told us that for quite a number of years, Manuel Pacheco just couldn't get along with him.

Pacheco's jewelry shop is right next door Villanueva's common-law wife's property. He used it as a base of operations for different jobs he took on.

He travelled regularly to bring vehicles from the US to sell. He arrived from one such trip earlier this month, and he was scheduled to go back next Week Monday. But, now, that won't happen.

The latest quarrel between him and Pacheco was reportedly over Villanueva's dog, which Pacheco allegedly did not like.

Carmencita Mendez - Common-Law Wife of the Deceased
"We have problems with Mr. Pacheco from since he opened. We opened a small tyre shop since 2012 and from the beginning there was problem. Every time he complained and he goes to city council. He usually travel to the States to bring vehicles and when he bring his vehicles, Mr. Pacheco calls city council and he has to move. That was every day. But nowadays he travels frequent to the States. He just came back on the 1st June and he was to go back on Monday, but incidentally we had a dog that I took to the yard and it looked like the dog made too much noise and that got to Mr. Pacheco and that trigger the 2 of them. They had an argument I guess and he pulled out his gun and shoot Mr. Villanueva 4 times. Mr. Pacheco use to threaten us. I told him to report it and he say he will not hurt me. He said he was just doing it for doing sake and he never reported it. But I reported it. All his friends knew because he always complained to his friends that he always have problems with Mr. Pacheco. It's in God hands and I believe in God and God knows why it happened and I guess what can we do."

Reporter
"Is it just that he didn't like your family presence at that yard?"

Carmencita Mendez - Common-Law Wife of the Deceased
"I really don't know. I bought that property in 2011. Then I bought a Mennonite house and put it here and he says he will open a small business there and then he was our neighbor, but I really don't know. I can't tell you. He called him all kinds of names he and his common- law, they get in to argument. I can't tell you too much because I was never present. But people who goes there says that he threaten and he took out a machete after Jose, but Jose was always behind the fence and he still killed him behind the fence in his yard."

What she can do is set the record straight. Early rumors suggested that Pacheco may have intended to claim self-defense.

Villanueva, who's an ex-police officer, also had his own licensed weapon. But, his common-law strongly believes he didn't pull his gun on Pacheco.

Carmencita Mendez - Common-Law Wife of the Deceased
"When he got shot he was exiting the place. His gun was right there. He ran to the entrance of the business and he succumb there and his gun was at his side with the holster, so he didn't use his gun. I could tell you because they gave me his thing except the gun, because they say they have to do ballistic test, but I am really sure that Mr. Villanueva didn't pull his gun. Mr. Villanueva is a church going guy. We try to live a Christian life. We were two divorcees. I think for the sake of his children because he have 4 kids I think he didn't pulled his gun. It's better that way because he is not a murderer. He went in a good place."

And that's why she expects that police will arrest and charge Pacheco with murder for her common-law's death.

Carmencita Mendez - Common-Law Wife of the Deceased
"Yes, I expect him to be charged today as soon as the autopsy finish. I hope and pray that he is charged, because it was not self-defense. I live with Mr. Villanueva for 19 years and we have an 18 year old daughter and we never had any problems. He is too generous. He helped people and they take chance of him. He likes to be like a bank to lend people money and didn't collect. He feels hard to collect back his money. A man always tell him that he is soft. He says he is a businessman, I told him that he is not a businessman because a businessman doesn't lose money. He always lose money with friends."

Villanueva's family tells us that he is the father of 4.

At this time, Pacheco remains detained, and sources tell us that - acting on lawyer's advice - he is not speaking to police investigators. If criminal charges will be brought against him, that may happen sometime this weekend, or early next week. Right now, we know that police investigators are looking at bringing the charge of murder. We'll let you know on Monday.

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