While leaving work, 26-year-old nurse Merin Joy Mathew was stabbed and run over by a man who was violent and murderous.
Merin Joy works at the Broward Health Coral Springs where she was starting anew, after recently separating from her husband who was very guilty of abusing her. She told Sun-Sentinel that he will kill her.
The fatal attack in the parking lot
Her killer was waiting for her at the parking lot where she was stabbed and fell on the ground. However, the murderer was not done. He went over her several times like a road bump and drove off thinking she was dead.
Witnesses saw the car going over the victim. One person said that she was like a speed bump. When they approached her, the victim said she was pregnant.
The authorities arrived on time for the nurse to tell them it was her abusive husband Philip Mathew, 34 who committed the crime. People saw how her husband brutally killed her.
He was trying to come up with an edgy plan to kill his wife but failed to get away from it. He was later apprehended and charged for first-degree murder.
Problems in the house and suspected abuse
A source shed light on the deterioration of the couple's marriage. An old classmate and friend of Philip's, Joice John Madasseril, said that the couple tid the knot in India. They had a child, a two-year-old girl named Norah.
The couple was already having problems. That was when Coral Springs police got a call for domestic violence. This incident in 2018 happened at Mathew's residence when he threatened to kill himself and his wife. It was later noted in the police records that he wasn't in the right mind at this episode.
Empowered by the Baker Act, police had the power to take possible domestic abusers and mentally deranged husbands that are a danger not only to themselves but to others. They took the future wife-killer from the residence to protect Merin.
News of his abuse towards his wife reached her parents. His friend recalled that he claimed it is a lie.
After visiting India, the abuser returned alone to South Florid abecause the victim left him. He was taking odd jobs and staying solo when Merin Joy separated from him.
Joy decided to deposit their daughter with her mum to be safe. Getting back to the states, she planned to stay in Tampa Florida away from Philip.
On July 19, she reported to the police that her physically abusive husband wanted to be with her. The divorce was in process, but the her husband did not agree.
In another occasion, the police were told that he was leaving scary messages and pictures. He was taking drastic measures because of the ongoing divorce procedure.
By the time he murdered her, their child was in India and Merin Joy wanted a new life. However, she didn't get that chance because she was stabbed, and run over by her ex-husband.
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