Husband’s chilling warning before murder: "Tonight, somebody’s going to die." Araceli Perez testifies against Tyshaun Drummond in court
Husband’s Chilling
Warning Before Double Murder: 'Tonight, Somebody’s Going to Die' - New Jersey
NEW JERSEY – Tragedy struck in the
early hours of December 19, 2021, when a brutal double homicide took place in
the quiet suburb of Long Branch, New Jersey. Sergio Chavez-Perez, a 32-year-old
father of three, was fatally shot in his bedroom after his wife’s lover,
Tyshaun Drummond, allegedly burst through the door and killed him. The
horrifying crime unfolded in front of Chavez-Perez's wife, Araceli Perez, and
their two-year-old child.
Just hours before the
tragic incident, Chavez-Perez allegedly uttered five chilling words to his wife
that would foreshadow the violence to come: “Tonight, somebody’s going to die.”
The case, which is now
being heard in a Monmouth County courtroom, has gripped the local community,
exposing a tangled web of infidelity, alleged domestic abuse, and ultimate
betrayal. Araceli Perez, testifying on Wednesday, detailed the disturbing
events that led to her husband’s murder, revealing the complex relationship
between herself, her late husband, and her lover, Drummond, 42.
According to testimony,
the night before the murder, Chavez-Perez came home after a night of drinking.
Upon entering their home, he reportedly warned his wife, “Tonight, somebody’s
going to die,” before leaving the house with a knife. Their 12-year-old
daughter allegedly informed her mother of the incident, escalating tensions
within the household.
Concerned for
Drummond’s safety, Perez texted her boyfriend, warning him that Chavez-Perez
had left the house armed. However, Chavez-Perez returned shortly after and
crawled into bed with Perez. They watched television together before falling
asleep, seemingly unaware of the violence that would soon unfold.
Around 7 a.m., the
peace of the morning was shattered when Drummond allegedly burst into the
couple’s home. Despite Chavez-Perez holding his hands up in a gesture of
surrender, Drummond shot him in cold blood. According to prosecutors, the
father was killed almost instantly, leaving his wife and children in a state of
shock and horror.
The couple's
three-year-old and 12-year-old children were present in the living room while
the shooting occurred, adding to the trauma of the tragic event.
The case took an even
darker turn when it was revealed that Drummond also allegedly killed Nicholas
Hardy, 36, who lived in the apartment below the Perez family. Hardy was struck
by five bullets, and Perez testified that she saw Drummond standing with a gun
near Hardy’s lifeless body shortly after her husband's murder.
The affair between
Perez and Drummond began in early 2021, although the two had known each other
for several years. Drummond, described as being infatuated with Perez,
frequently referred to her as his "wife-to-be" in text messages, a
term she reciprocated. In court, messages exchanged between the two were shared
with the jury, revealing the depth of their romantic involvement and Drummond’s
obsession with Perez.
In one message dated
November 30, 2021, Drummond wrote, "Good morning, my beautiful
wife-to-be." Perez responded with a similar sentiment, calling him her
“future husband.” Drummond even warned Perez to delete their text messages “in
case [her husband] wants to check.”
Despite their romantic
involvement, Perez testified that she attempted to end the affair in September
2021 in an effort to “rekindle” her marriage with Chavez-Perez. However, the
affair continued, further complicating their relationship and leading to
confrontations between Perez and her husband.
Perez also testified
that Chavez-Perez had accused her of infidelity around the same time she tried
to break things off with Drummond. Their marriage had been marred by alleged
physical abuse, which Perez claims was a contributing factor in her decision to
pursue a relationship with Drummond.
On the fateful morning
of December 19, Chavez-Perez asked his wife to open the apartment door,
claiming his brother was knocking. When she opened the door, no one was there.
Within moments, Drummond allegedly came charging out of the downstairs
apartment and up the stairs to Perez’s unit.
“He looked at me, he
pushed me, and he opened the door to my apartment,” Perez testified. “I went in
after him and I said in English: ‘My kids are here,’ and he went directly into
the [living] room.”
Chavez-Perez was
standing in the bedroom doorway when Drummond entered. Perez recalled her
husband telling Drummond to “calm down” before the gunshot rang out, ending her
husband's life in an instant.
After the shooting,
Drummond fled the scene, leaving behind a scene of devastation. Perez
frantically tried to revive her husband, but it was too late. His “blood was
flowing out at a high rate,” Perez testified, her voice breaking as she
recalled the harrowing moment.
Upon opening the front
door in a desperate plea for help, Perez discovered Hardy’s body lying in the
hallway and Drummond standing nearby with a gun in his left hand. “That is the
day I found out that he is left-handed,” she told the court.
As the trial continues,
Drummond faces multiple charges, including murder, possession of a weapon for
an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and burglary. Prosecutors
argue that his obsessive relationship with Perez drove him to commit the
murders in a fit of jealousy and rage.
While the courtroom
proceedings unfold, the community of Long Branch remains in shock, grappling
with the chilling details of a crime that has torn apart two families and left
a trail of devastation in its wake.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
COMMENTS