Inset: Mirla Gonzalez-Palma (Marion County Jail). Background: The apartment complex in Indianapolis, Ind., where Mirla Gonzalez-Palma allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death following an early morning fight (WXIN/YouTube).
An intoxicated woman from Indiana allegedly flew into a rage and stabbed her boyfriend in the chest, resulting in his death, after he hit her during an altercation in front of her 12-year-old son, as reported by police and witnesses.
Mirla Gonzalez-Palma, 31, informed police that she did not appreciate being hit by her 20-year-old boyfriend, Breyner “Breynerd” Perez-Matute, amid a dispute early on Saturday morning in an Indianapolis apartment, based on court records and police narratives reviewed by Law&Crime.
Initially, Gonzalez-Palma asserted she acted in self-defense, according to her probable cause affidavit, but reportedly admitted later to investigators that she was incensed about being struck by Perez-Matute, originally hailing from Colombia, earlier in their argument. A friend present at the residence during the alleged incident shared her observations with police.
“[The friend] stated she was asleep when she heard them arguing,” details the affidavit. “She woke up and observed Breynerd hitting Mirla with both a closed fist and an open hand in the face. Both began hitting each other. EH said she intervened and got Breynerd to go outside the apartment.”
The friend recounted to police that while she attempted to de-escalate the situation, Perez-Matute “rushed past her” and proceeded to strangle Gonzalez-Palma. [The friend] then exerted all her efforts to expel Breynerd out of the apartment. During this time, Mirla retrieved a knife.”
Gonzalez-Palma admitted to police that Perez-Matute “tried to be reasonable with her, but it was just too late,” according to the affidavit. She allegedly claimed she “didn’t feel in fear for her safety; she was just enraged.”
The friend told cops she managed to get Gonzalez-Palma to put the knife down, noting that “Mirla’s 12-year-old son witnessed a portion of the incident,” according to the affidavit. The boy was interviewed by investigators and said he didn’t “see anything” related to the stabbing, just the altercation beforehand. Gonzalez-Palma told police that “she didn’t believe [her friend] would lie.” Another witness who was at the home allegedly said the 12-year-old “helped break up the fight.”
IMPD public information officer Tommy Thompson confirmed to Law&Crime on Tuesday that both parties involved allegedly “lost their temper” before the stabbing occurred. Gonzalez-Palma claimed she had been drinking and grew upset over the alleged assault before stabbing Perez-Matute a single time in the chest, the affidavit says. She was allegedly so drunk that she “believed” she stabbed Perez-Matute with a bottle.
“Don’t die!” Gonzalez-Palma allegedly yelled at Perez-Matute, while hauling his body out of the complex with two residents who helped transport him to a local hospital.
“He hit me,” Gonzalez-Palma allegedly told witnesses.
Cops say the woman admitted to stabbing Perez-Matute but claimed she didn’t intend to kill him, according to the affidavit. “Mirla became very emotional when learning that Breynerd had passed,” the document says. “Mirla expressed her love for Breynerd and talked about how they were going to build a house together. She said she was sorry and that she didn’t intend to kill him.”
When questioned about the incident, Gonzalez-Palma allegedly confessed to following Perez-Matute — whom she had been dating for about three years — outside “because she was drunk, she was enraged, offended, and she wanted vengeance,” per the affidavit. “She saw that she wasn’t doing him any harm, so she found a way to cut him,” police allege.
A bite mark was also reported on Perez-Matute’s chest, which Gonzalez-Palma admitted to doing during their initial fight, according to the affidavit.
Gonzalez-Palma is reportedly being held on a federal detainer from Venezuela, with prosecutors saying she is currently behind bars without bond pending the filing of formal charges. Online records show she’s due in court Tuesday for an initial hearing.
“We have to know when to walk away and take a deep breath,” Thompson told local Fox affiliate WXIN on Monday after Gonzalez-Palma was arrested.
“We need the community to think twice with their actions,” he said. “When you’re in a hostile argument, verbal argument — maybe it’s turning physical — you have to be able to walk away, get to a safe place. If police are needed, contact the police.”
