Man 'stabbed girlfriend to death and knifed her brother after she got a haircut he didn't like'

A man faces murder charges following his arrest for the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, reportedly after telling her he would "stab her" over a haircut he disapproved of.

Benjamin Garcia Gual, 49 from Pennsylvania, is accused of killing Carmen Martinez-Silva, 50, at her brother's house in East Hempfield Township last Sunday, following a dispute about her new hairstyle the day before.

According to Law and Crime, Gual is said to have repeatedly stabbed his girlfriend "throughout her body" using a kitchen knife. A criminal complaint cited by the publication revealed that Martinez-Silva was afraid of Gual and opted to stay with her daughter, Yamaris Knight, after their argument.

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"Yamaris stated that Carmen cut her hair, which angered Benjamin," the complaint reads. "Carmen relayed to Yamaris that Benjamin told her that he was going to stab her over her haircut," reports the Mirror US.

Reports indicate that early on Sunday morning, Martinez-Silva left her daughter's residence around 8:30 am and approached her brother, Luis Martinez-Silva, seeking his help to inform "Benjamin that their relationship was over" and to collect "get his stuff" from the mobile home they shared.

A tragic scene unfolded as per a complaint, where one individual witnessed the entire event. "Benjamin came to [his home] looking for Carmen and he explained to Benjamin that Carmen was not present, attempting to protect Carmen, although she was inside the trailer," it stated.

The complaint further detailed: "[The witness] then explained to officers that Benjamin left but minutes later came back to the scene. Luis came to the front door, at which time Benjamin started stabbing Luis."

Police later confirmed that Gual used a kitchen knife in the violent assault on Luis before turning on the woman, stabbing her "multiple times throughout her body."

The police reported that despite Luis's brother surviving, he endured severe injuries to his head, chest, abdomen, and arm. According to the complaint, Martinez-Silva "attempted to pull Benjamin away from Luis, which is when Benjamin started stabbing Carmen in a backward motion."

It also revealed that Gual tried to stab the initial witness during the horrific ordeal. Another witness caught up in the chaos told authorities they had attempted to get a gun to halt the assailant, but this action only made Gual attack them with the knife too.

"[The witness] said that he went to the scene attempting to help the victims when Benjamin swung the knife toward [his] face but missed," the complaint says. Authorities reported that 911 dispatchers said that Gual remained at the scene "still standing there with knife in hand" before retreating to his Toyota Carolla and hiding inside until police arrived at the scene.

It was also reported that when police finally managed to coax Gual out of the car, the man had to be treated for two injuries he had sustained, though it is unclear how he got them. "Police ordered him [Gual] out of the vehicle and located a silver kitchen knife with a black handle on the passenger seat of the vehicle with brownish-red staining," the complaint says.

Gual was arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. He is being held at the Lancaster County Prison without bail.

In a moving statement on Facebook, Martinez-Silva's daughter posted about her mother's passing. "My beautiful mother is no longer with us, I'm sorry to those I haven't responded to, I have no words at this time."

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