Mexican singer, 21, ‘shot dead by controlling husband, 79, in middle of restaurant after she tried to divorce him’
A SINGER was shot dead by her elderly husband in a restaurant after trying to divorce him for months, it’s alleged.
Yrma Lydya, 21, was gunned down by Jesus Hernandez, 79, inside a private room at a Japanese restaurant in Mexico City, cops say.
Folk artist Lydya was eating at the venue in the Benito Juarez neighborhood when she was killed last Thursday.
The couple became embroiled in a row in the private room and Hernandez shot his young wife three times in the chest, it’s alleged.
It’s also claimed he and his bodyguard, Benjamin Hernandez, then attempted to flee the scene in a luxury car before being snared by cops.
Hernandez then tried to bribe officers into letting him go, reports claim.
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The horror killing came after Lydya contacted a law firm in April about starting divorce proceedings.
She showed pictures of her bruised face from a number of domestic violence incidents as evidence, reports Mexican newspaper Excelsior.
Lydya had also filed a police report in December claiming her husband had beaten her and threatened her with a gun on another occasion.
Mexico City security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said Hernandez had met with two people at the restaurant at 2pm last Thursday, before leaving at around 6pm, reports Milenio news network.
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Lydya later arrived at the restaurant and it’s alleged gunfire rang through the eatery after she and her husband started to argue.
A police officer who was at the restaurant rushed to the private room and restrained Hernandez, a witness told news programme Primer Impacto.
Harfuch confirmed that the singer died after sustaining three shots to her chest during the row.
Hernandez and his bodyguard appeared in court on Sunday and are now being held in pretrial detention at a Mexico City prison as cops continue to investigate.
The lawyer pleaded not guilty and insisted he did not kill Lydya, who was due to perform at a concert in California on Saturday.
Hernandez is due back in court on Thursday after his request to be placed in home confinement due to his age was rejected by the judge.