Woman shoots boyfriend before fleeing to Alabama, killing herself in the process, officials say

A woman shot and killed her boyfriend in Tampa on Wednesday morning before fleeing to Alabama and killing herself, officials say.

The incident began just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Officers were called to the 9200 block of Shellgrove Court in Town ‘N Country after a concerned family member called the sheriff’s office communications center.

When officers arrived, they found 50-year-old Kelbys Avila dead from a gunshot wound. Investigators determined he was killed by his girlfriend, Maira Pacheco Nuñez, 58, who fled in a vehicle.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Pacheco Nuñez on a charge of second-degree murder with a firearm. Within an hour of the warrant being issued, officers from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama spotted Pacheco Nuñez’s vehicle.

When police officers conducted a traffic stop, Pacheco Nuñez shot himself.

“This is a tragic and heartbreaking situation. Our hearts hurt for the family of this man whose life ended tragically,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the news release. “Violence is never an option. To anyone who is experiencing or suspects domestic violence, please remember: there is help and you are not alone.”

How to get help

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. How to contact Tampa Bay domestic violence authorities for help:

Hillsborough County: Call or text The Spring of Tampa Bay’s 24-hour crisis line at 813-247-7233 or visit thespring.org. The Talk to You line is 813-248-1050.

Pasco County: Contact Sunrise of Pasco County via its 24-hour hotline at 888-668-7273 or 352-521-3120 or go online to Sunrisepasco.org.

Pinellas County: Contact Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) by calling the 24-hour hotline at 727-895-4912, texting casa-stpete.org/chat or visiting casapinellas.org. The Talk to You line is 727-828-1269.

Domestic violence warning signs

The perpetrator isolates the victim from friends or family.

The victim is encouraged or forced to stop participating in activities important to them.

The perpetrator controls the finances or pays the victim pocket money and asks for explanations about the expenses.

The victim is blamed for their feelings, yelled at, or made to feel “small.”

The abuser criticizes and controls the victim’s appearance, including what they can wear.

The perpetrator leaves the victim in places he does not know.

The perpetrator prevents the victim from eating, sleeping, or seeking medical attention.

The perpetrator throws or hits things around the victim.