Last night we told you about Jose Marciano Mendez - the Orange Walk man - who threatened to blow up himself and his entire block because of a domestic dispute with his wife.
He is now recovering from fairly minor burns and is pending charges of attempted arson.
But it turns out his very dangerous action is only the culmination of a history of abuse. His wife who has been a victim for over a decade today told Monica Bodden about the history of violence.
We warn you that some of the content she discusses may not be suitable for children.
Here's the story...
Monica Bodden reporting
A domestic dispute turned into attempted suicide around 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon - When the alleged abuser tried to blow himself up with butane gas.
It happened at the home of 41 year old Evangelina Correa - which is located on San Narciso Street in Orange Walk Town.
Correa - who is the common-law-wife of Jose Mendez went to Orange Walk police yesterday afternoon to make a domestic report against her husband - when police visited the home to arrest Mendez - he resisted arrest and cut the rubber hose of his butane tank threatening to cause an explosion. Correa asked to appear off camera.
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"We were in the room laying down having relations then all of a sudden he starts tell me things then he got vex and then he slap me then I jump drop from the bed then he start to punch me on the face, on the lip and then he start to kick me. He pull a big chair to break on my face because I told him that I will do what you want. Then we went to bed again then he asks me what will I cook for the children. I told him that I will cook rice. I told him that it time for me to cook rice. The children came and they were eating and they saw the bruise on my mouth."
"I was thinking what to do; if I should go report him or not, what would happen late in the night or all this weekend."
After Correa children headed back to school - she went to report her common-law husband of 13 years at the Orange Walk police station.
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"As the children went to school I went to the police station. I gave my report and then after that I went to the hospital to check my lip. The police lady called me back to the police station and then they came here at my home to arrest him but he refuse to go. He says that he will not go and that he will kill himself. The police told me that he cut the hose from the butane tank. The police told us to move from the house because the house would blow up."
Police entered the home of Correa - and saw Jose Mendez sitting around the kitchen table.
He resisted arrest and insisted on speaking with his wife - which police denied.
He then grabbed a kitchen knife and placed it to his chest and then to his neck -threatening to kill himself if he was not granted time to speak to his common-law-wife.
When that didn't work - he turned around and sliced the hose which connects the stove to the gas tank.
Police quickly exited the small wooden bungalow house- leaving Mendez inside.
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"The police told all of us to go outside. So we went outside on the street and I ran as far as I can. I knew that the tank didn't have a ot of gas. When I went at home he was all alone, I didn't know what he was doing, so I stayed far from the house and after a while they tried to take him out."
Jose Mendez went into the bedroom with a piece of the rubber hose and lit it. The gas fumes caused a small explosion and he received burns to his right hand. He was taken away to the Northern Regional Hospital where is he listed in a stable condition.
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"People that were outside heard something that went boom. It didn't cause fire in the house; I don't know how he got burnt."
Monica Bodden
"When he got burnt, were there evidence of that on your mattress?"
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"My mattress got burnt on the corner and there was blood on the bed. I don't know if he cut himself. I can't say because I do not know."
Throughout their 13 year old relationship, Correa told us there have been many occasions where she was abused by Mendez and kept it quiet - she recalled an incident as recently as last week where her entire face was swollen and bruises on her arm. But even though many would commend this battered woman bravery for reporting her abuser to the police - the mother of 2 is now left to fear for her life.
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"It's something that happened before. He starts to hit me over and over again. I didnt talk, as usual some ladies don't talk, they keep quiet, they don't say anything. I keep quite because of my children but this time I couldn't hold it. I went to the police station and report it."
Monica Bodden
"Are you scared for your life now?"
Evangelina Correa - Victim of Domestic Abuse
"Yes, because he might want to take revenge on me."
Mendez is supposed to appear in court on Monday.
The couple shares two children.
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