They leave behind a 2-year-old son

A Punta Gorda family, of Forest Home, is mourning the death of their daughter, Carlita Williams, 21, who was shot to death by her jealous and abusive boyfriend, James Staine, 24, who killed himself after killing her.

The murder/suicide occurred around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, December 30, under a thatched shed near the road by the sea in Punta Gorda.

Witnesses said that Staine, Williams and their son, 2, were seated at the beachfront under the thatch when he took out his gun and shot her, then turned the gun on himself.

Inspector Ernel Dominguez, Commander of Toledo District Police, said that their initial investigation revealed that both Williams and Staine were under the shed when two gunshots were heard by a neighbor in the immediate area.

The neighbor looked out to see what was happening, and that was when he saw both bodies under the shed. Police said that Staine, who is the father of the couple’s son, shot Carlita in the right side of her head and thereafter shot himself under the chin. The shooting came after Staine and Williams had a misunderstanding on Saturday, December 29.

Police said that both persons were declared dead on arrival at the Punta Gorda Hospital.

Police also said that the licensed 9mm pistol belonging to Staine was found with him, loaded with 14 live rounds, and two fired shells were found under the shed.

Williams’ friends told reporters that the relationship she was in was very abusive, and she had decided to end the relationship, and it was for that reason that Staine held her captive for two days.

Among her complaints, she told them, was that he had threatened that he would kill all of them — her mom, her dad, the baby and herself, and that he would then kill himself.