A 33-year-old woman, Theresa Cachuela, lost her life in a parking lot near Pearlridge Center on a seemingly ordinary Friday morning. The shopping center, bustling with shoppers, became the backdrop for a horrifying incident that unfolded around 10 a.m. The initial call to the police cited suspicious circumstances, setting off a chain of events that would culminate in tragedy.
Upon arrival, the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) discovered Theresa Cachuela in the parking lot, succumbing to fatal gunshot wounds. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) pronounced her dead at the scene. As the shockwaves reverberated through her family and the community, the focus shifted to Theresa’s estranged husband, 44-year-old Jason Cachuela, who was promptly identified as a person of interest.
HPD initiated a search for Jason Cachuela, intensifying the unfolding tragedy. Hours later, the worst fears were confirmed as the police discovered Jason’s lifeless body behind a Waipahu residence. The discovery included a recovered firearm, confirming the grim reality of a murder-suicide. The case was officially classified as Murder in the First Degree, painting a somber picture of the circumstances that led to this tragic end.
Theresa Cachuela’s family, grappling with the sudden loss, described her as a woman of God who cherished her children. On that fateful morning, she was accompanied by her 11-year-old daughter, en route to the bank, when the estranged husband emerged in the parking lot. Her 15-year-old son, Tyzen Gante, recounted the heart-wrenching moment he received the call about his mother being shot.
The family revealed that Theresa had recently obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Jason, finalized just days before the incident. The order mandated Jason to surrender any firearms, a detail that highlights the tragic failure of the system designed to protect victims of domestic violence.
The family’s anguish spilled over into frustration as Tyzen expressed his belief that a flawed system contributed to his mother’s untimely death. Despite the restraining order in place, Jason’s actions went unchecked, leading to the devastating outcome. Tyzen lamented, “If the system could be fixed, that man could have been in jail, and my mom wouldn’t have been killed.”
Theresa’s family contends that she used to live with Jason’s family in Waipahu but made the courageous decision to move out about a year ago, seeking independence and safety. Her strength in filing for a TRO reflected a determination to protect herself and her children from a volatile situation.
Attorney Michael Green, who recently represented Jason in court following Theresa’s TRO filing, expressed shock at the tragic turn of events. Green stated that there were no dramatic legal issues before the court and that he understood Theresa’s fear for her husband’s well-being. Despite the legal measures in place, the magnitude of the threat was tragically underestimated.
Green explained, “I thought this weekend for him with his daughter was going to be a wonderful weekend for Christmas, and we can work this out. And then when I saw what happened this morning, in front of his daughter, like I said, you know, they don’t teach this in law school.” The incident underscores the complex and often unpredictable nature of domestic violence cases, where legal measures alone may not be sufficient to avert tragedy.
The death of Theresa Cachuela is a stark reminder of the pervasive issue of domestic violence and the shortcomings in the systems designed to protect victims. As her family mourns the loss of a beloved mother and daughter, the community is left grappling with the sobering reality that more must be done to address the root causes of domestic violence and fortify the protective mechanisms in place. Theresa’s tragic end serves as a poignant call to action for a more robust and responsive approach to domestic violence prevention and support.
