Monica Bodden reporting
The incident happened here at Las Palomas Del Norte Bar located on Carrillo Purto Avenue in Santa Elena Town.

Around 11:45 on Saturday night Pamela Perez - who is the girlfriend of the Bar owner- was rushed to the La Loma Luz Hospital fighting for her life.

She had an apparent stab wound to the neck, bruises on both arms and a cut wound to the right arm. Perez died while undergoing treatment.

Today this silver Kia Sportage - belonging to 43 year old bar owner Rosalilia Castillo- is parked in the San Ignacio police station's compound.

It was in this vehicle that Castillo transported her dying girlfriend to the hospital - Bloodstains are still visible on the left side of the vehicles doors.

We understand that after Castillo rushed Perez to the hospital, she left and went her own way.

She was later found by police at a house on George Price Avenue - and when questioned she told police that four men entered the bar that night and assaulted Pamela - then ran off.

But police noticed scratched on Castillo and a cut wound and so she was detained along with a 19 year old man.

Raphael Martinez - Police Press Officer
"Police have since detained Castillo and 19 year old worker of Teacher's Lane in Santa Elena Town pending charges."

The floors inside the bar are stained with Perez's blood - which indicates to us that she did lose quite an amount of blood.

But what happened inside this small business establishment is still left to be determined by police. We were told by friends of the couple that the two have been living together for the past 2 years. Perez was the mother of 3 children.

Luz Perez - sister-in-law
"She was a nice person and although she was separated from my brother she still keep in contact with us. She had two kids with my brother and the kids are with my mom here in Orange Walk. To say that she is a bad person - I can't say that because she never treat us bad that's why when we heard about this we felt so bad because we didn't expect that something would happen like this to her. We just saw her on Saturday morning."

But while police are doing their investigations- friends of Rosalilia Castillo believe that if she did commit the heinous crime, it had to be out of self-defense.

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"I know Lilly and she is a good person. She used to come at my place and tell me that the lady Pamela - she says that she used to be abused by Pamela. Jealousness - I don't know. I used to see her all bruise up, her face was scratch up, her neck and so forth."

"I think it was self-defence - if she did it, but I don't know."

On Wednesday of last week - just 3 days before the incident -Masa said that Castillo visited her home and showed her bruises on her body that she claimed was put there by Perez.

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"She showed me and asks me what to do and I told her to just walk away or go somewhere else and just leave that lady because you have so much problems. She used to come at my place many times crying for advice."

Marion Ali, reporter
"What did you see on Wednesday when she came to you?"

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"I saw a lot of bruises; scratches etc., she says that the lady is abusive."

Marion Ali, reporter
"This was going on for how long?"

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"I think for about a year and a half to two years."

Monica Bodden
"I understand that you knew Lilly very well."

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"I knew her from I was 14 years old. I grew up with up like family. My mom had leaved me with her and she raises me. I stayed with her for 10-11 years and she never ever treated me bad. She is a good person, that's all I can say."

Monica Bodden
"Whatever happened at the bar early Saturday or Sunday morning you would say that it may have been self-defence?"

Pearla Masa - Friend of Suspect
"If she did it yes it was self-defence."

Up to news time - Pamela Perez's partner had not been charged.