ALL Saints Day and All Souls’ Day, for many Filipinos who immigrated to America, are not so much about costume parties, nor trick or treating.
It still holds the same sanctity and tradition — days to commemorate and remember family and friends who have passed on.
This includes commiserating with families of kababayans, who have lost a loved one because of senseless reasons that are just too painful to understand or accept.
Just this past month, we reported some tragedies involving Filipinos on Balitang America.
One case is particularly disturbing because at one time or another, many of us welcomed a family or friend in need in our homes. Have we ever thought that such act of kindness and generosity may one day be reciprocated with hatred and violence?
This is what happened to the family of our kababayan, Aristeo “Aris” Indico of Las Vegas.
Aristeo’s pregnant wife and unborn child were allegedly killed by his own sister, Elinor.
According to police reports, tension had been brewing in the Indico household. Prior to the stabbing incident, Aristeo allowed Elinor to stay with them with two conditions: she will not do drugs and she needs to get a job.
Elinor reportedly did not comply, and so she was asked to move out.
And then, the tragedy happened.
“I’m very mad. I want to see to it that my wife and my son Anthony will get justice. There is no turning back. My family is outraged that she (Elinor) did this to us,” Aristeo told Balitang America Las Vegas Correspondent Bev Llorente, during the interview via Skype.
To this day, Aristeo could not fathom what pushed his sister to commit the crime.
However, he intimated about her insecurities. “She was always telling me that everybody likes me better, our Dad likes me better, that I have a better job. All I did was push her to succeed.”
Aristeo and Elinor were born in Caloocan, Philippines but migrated to the United States in 1991.
Aristeo married Ashley in 2006, whom he fondly describes as “Filipino at heart,” even if she was a non-Filipino. Aristeo said Ashley really looked forward to visiting the Philippines.
“She loved steamed rice, chicken adobo and pancit. I taught her a few Tagalog words. ‘Mahal kita,’ she would always say that when she dropped me off at my job,” Aristeo tearfully told Llorente.
What made this loss more heartbreaking for Aristeo is the fact that 26-year old Ashley was nine months pregnant and was due to give birth on October 26 at the time of the attack.
As Llorente reported, the Las Vegas Metro Police found Ashley’s lifeless body inside her North Las Vegas home on October 16, where Elinor (now a suspect in the case) was also temporarily staying.
Aristeo sobbed as he shared what turned out to be his last moment with his wife — she dropped him off at work with their children. He never thought that would be the last time he would see his Ashley alive.
“It’s not easy for a father to look at your two kids and tell them where their mom is. This should never happen to anybody. This is something that you see in the movies or read about. This is nightmare,” Aris lamented.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled Ashley’s death as a homicide. According to the official report, Ashley died due to multiple stab wounds and an incised wound on the neck.
Aristeo told Balitang America that his two children (aged 3 and 5) happened to be with their mom at home when the tragedy happened. They were not physically injured.
“When they ask for their mom, I just say that their mom is in their hearts and in their memories.”
He added though, that he may have to put his two older children through therapy, given the trauma that they went through.
Aristeo shared that the Las Vegas Metro and the community have also checked up on him, to make sure he’s okay. He also said his in-laws are helping him.
Llorente reported that Ashley will be laid to rest on November 6 at the Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, California.
Meantime, Elinor (whose bail has been set to $120,000) is scheduled to appear in a preliminary hearing on November 8.
Elinor’s defense attorney said the case looked like self-defense, as Elinor is also recovering from cuts to her stomach.
The defense’s version of what happened was what Elinor reportedly told police: that she and Ashley were engaged in a fight, after she was told to move out of their apartment.
Llorente added that Aristeo is still raising money for the funeral of Ashley and their baby boy.
For more information on how you can help, please visit www.gofundme.com/ashleyindicofund.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column?are are solely those of the author?and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
