West Palm Beach …Minutes before her boyfriend allegedly hacked her to death with a machete Monday morning, Horacia Simeus was on the phone with the state attorney’s victim advocate. The woman on the other end was discussing a new restraining order Simeus was attempting to file
against her abusive boyfriend, cate. Youvens Madeus. The advocate later told Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies that she could hear a male voice arguing with Simeus.
Seconds passed and then the call ended.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they noted that Madeus was in front of the suburban West Palm Beach home with a bloody shirt draped over his shoulder. The machete was found next to Simeus’s body by the couple’s front door.
According to her family, Simeus, 27, was pregnant.
On Tuesday morning, a judge denied bond for Madeus, 24, who faces charges of first-degree murder.
Records obtained by The Palm Beach Post show Simeus and Madeus have a history of domestic violence dating back to at least 2009.
Dominique Simeus, the victim’s older brother, said he thought his sister was finally opening her eyes to the abusive situation and was doing something about it after the on-and-off relationship of more than six years.
“But when she didn’t want to anymore, it was too late,” he said.
Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, said domestic violence cases that turn fatal have been on the rise.
“Cases of domestic abuse usually turn for the worst when the abuser feels they are losing control or power,” he said.
According to the arrest report, Madeus told deputies that he didn’t want his girlfriend to testify against him or everyone would know “what takes place behind closed doors.”
Behind those doors was a history of violence, abuse and another restraining order.
In June 2013, Simeus filed an injunction for protection against domestic violence against Madeus. In the court document, Simeus described how she was in fear for her life and her family’s lives. In the same document, she said he had sliced open her couch with a knife while threatening to hurt her. And if he couldn’t get to her, he’d make her family suffer.
The order was dropped in July when Simeus didn’t show up for the injunction hearing.
Dominique Simeus, 33, said the family knew their sister was in an abusive relationship, but they tried to support her over the years because she believed she loved Madeus and that he would change. Simeus said the family, including three more brothers and two more sisters, tried to bring in Madeus as a brother, but he never took to the family.
He said his sister was so full of love and being in love that she was manipulated by Madeus.
“She believed in the Romeo and Juliet kind of love,” he said.
When he remembers a Valentine’s Day text message from his sister, who he calls the “princess of the family,” he chokes up.
“Kisses and hugs, I love you,” it read.
According to the arrest report, Madeus told deputies he had to kill Simeus in order to move on with his own life.
“I believed the victim and I were emotionally connected; therefore, killing her would ultimately kill me and allow me to live a new life in clarity.”
Records show Madeus had terrorized Simeus for years.
In 2009, he slashed the tires of her Toyota Camry, but she refused to press charges, according to the arrest report. That same year, he kidnapped Simeus, shoving her into her car and driving off, according to another arrest report. Deputies tried to pull him over, but he did not stop until he hit a dead-end road.
In 2011, he kicked in the back door of their home demanding a cellphone charger, according to arrest records. The couple struggled before he grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Simeus was able to flee to the neighbor’s home.
In 2013, Madeus was arrested when he was swinging a baseball bat and breaking things in the couple’s home, according to another report.
But all of those cases were never filed or were never prosecuted, according to criminal records.
Edmondson said Madeus had a very long criminal history beyond the domestic cases, dating back to his juvenile years.
Dominique Simeus said he thinks the laws should be stricter for restraining orders and domestic violence issues. He said maybe it wouldn’t have gone this far if the criminals were held accountable.
“Now it’s in God’s hands,” he said.
