HONOLULU, HI – A grim chapter unfolded in Hawaii on Friday when a well-known Instagram influencer was shot dead near a local mall. The incident occurred a mere two days after the court had granted her a restraining order against her spouse, who was later discovered dead in an apparent suicide, as per law enforcement and court documents.
The deadly event took place in the vicinity of Pearlridge Center in Waimalu, a short distance from Honolulu. Responding to an alert of a suspicious occurrence, Honolulu police arrived at the scene around 10 a.m. and discovered Theresa Cachuela, 33, with gunshot injuries, as stated by Lt. Deena Thoemmes.
A child was present during the tragic incident, the police confirmed. Known to her 20,000 Instagram followers as “Bunny Bontiti,” Cachuela was declared dead at the scene. No other casualties were reported in the area, Thoemmes added.
Her husband, Jason Cachuela, 44, was identified as the suspect. He had fled the scene and was later found dead in a location behind a residence in Waipahu, roughly five miles from the mall. A gun was discovered at the scene, police confirmed.
The case is currently being investigated as a first-degree murder. Thoemmes clarified that the shooting was not a random act, as the victim and the suspect were married.
Recent court documents reveal that Theresa was granted a temporary restraining order against her husband. The couple had been together for nearly 11 years. In her petition for the order, filed on December 8, Theresa alleged that Jason had threatened to commit suicide in front of her and her children on December 6.
She claimed that he took her to an isolated area and held a knife to his throat, which left her terrified and traumatized. Despite apologizing to her the next day, Jason continued to make suicidal threats, Theresa alleged.
Jason Cachuela was served with the notice on December 19, and the temporary restraining order was made official on December 20. Both appeared in court that day and agreed to a one-year order, set to expire on December 20, 2024. As per the agreement, Jason was prohibited from contacting Theresa unless it was regarding their minor child, and he was ordered to surrender any firearms.
Theresa’s mother, Lucita Ani-Nihoa, revealed that her 8-year-old granddaughter was the child who witnessed the horrific incident. She also shared that Theresa, a mother of three, had confided in her family about the abuse she endured from her husband and was seeking assistance from organizations that support victims of domestic violence.