Florida husband allegedly killed wife with homemade bomb inside car after argument: cops
Shocking footage shows the moment a car exploded in Florida, killing a woman who police believe was targeted by her husband.
Doorbell footage obtained by NBC 6 shows that the car was parked on a road in the Miami suburbs of Hialeah Gardens when it erupted into a fireball just before 6 a.m. on Feb. 1.
The explosion was outside the home of Noel Ruiz Mestre, 50, who police now allege intentionally detonated a homemade bomb while his wife was sitting in the passenger seat.
His wife, who has not publicly been identified, was killed in the blast.
The couple had been arguing inside the car, and the suspect’s wife tried to get out but was unable to, police said.
Moments later, the husband got out and allegedly set off the homemade explosive device near the vehicle — with the wife later found inside “burned beyond recognition.”
He then allegedly ran inside his home, changed his clothes, and stabbed himself in the stomach with a knife, then fled the scene but later called 911 for help with his injuries, detectives said.
The alleged arsonist was taken to the hospital in critical condition and also suffered burns from the explosion.
Ruiz Mestre is facing second-degree murder and arson charges and will be taken to jail after he recovers, detectives said.
Neighbor Miguel Hernandez told NBC 6 that he was sleeping when the bomb went off and was awoken by the sheer force it let off after being detonated.
“I get up, and I was like, what’s happening? Because the explosion was too, too, too loud,” Hernandez said. “It was not a ‘pow pow’ it was ‘bah bah.’”
The neighbor said he looked outside to see the car engulfed in flames but was unaware that somebody was inside.
Hernandez was shocked when he found out Ruiz Mestre’s wife had died in the blast.
“She was a real nice person,” Hernandez told the outlet. “She always says, hello, how are you, happy Christmas, happy Halloween.”
Hernandez described his alleged bomb-making neighbor as “really strange.”
