Yahoo Lifestyle Murdered Mom Called Police Weeks Before Killing to Report Suspicious Backpack Left in Garage
Mary Gingles said the backpack, which she suspected was left by her husband, contained ”items that he would need to murder me"
Broward County Sheriff's Office
Mary and Seraphine GinglesJust weeks before she was killed, a Florida woman called police to report that her estranged husband had left a suspicious backpack in their garage, filled with items she believed were intended to kill her.
On Sunday, Feb, 16, Mary Gingles, 34, her father, 64-year-old David Ponzer, and their neighbor, 36-year-old Andrew Ferrin, were all found shot to death in their homes in Tamarac, Fla., the Broward County Sheriff’s Office previously stated.
Gingles’ 4-year-old daughter, Seraphine Gingles, was briefly missing before she was located in North Lauderdale with her father Nathan Gingles — Mary's estranged husband. Nathan, 43, was subsequently arrested in connection with the murders as well as Seraphine's abduction.
In newly released 911 calls obtained by the Miami Herald, Mary can allegedly be heard telling an operator that she’d found a backpack in her garage, allegedly planted by her husband, that contained plastic restraints, duct tape, zip ties, contractor bags, and other ”items that he would need to murder me.
“My intent is to get a restraining order because I just don't know what else to do because, I'm just, I’m at a loss, and obviously the current court order is not doing anything at all,” she said in one of the calls, per NBC Miami, as her daughter could also be heard speaking in the background.
In another call, Mary requested an update on the status of the restraining order she’d requested against her husband.
Gingles called the department 14 times in the period of time leading up to her murder, according to WSVN.
All those calls could have led to Nathan’s arrest at the time, Sheriff Gregory Tony said just a few days after the murders. However, an arrest did not occur.
“This death is on my watch,” Tony said, per KKTV. “There was enough there where we could have potentially pursued for probable cause affidavits so we could arrest him and take him off the street, and that didn’t happen.”
“I am basically saying we had a chance to save your loved one’s life, and we failed,” Tony said at the time, acknowledging the critical mistakes his deputies had made, per KKTV.
Nathan was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of violating a protective order and one count of interfering with custody, according to online court records. He was also charged with child abuse, kidnapping, burglary, and child neglect. He has pleaded not guilty.
Authorities responding to a report of a shooting on the morning of Feb. 16 found Ponzer, Mary’s father, dead in his backyard, according to an affidavit previously reviewed by PEOPLE.
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A neighbor, Adolfo Lang, told police he was awakened by “loud banging” on his front door around 6 a.m. that Sunday, the affidavit says. When he checked his security camera, he saw Mary “running to his door and knocking frantically,” per the document.
Lang told investigators that just seconds later he saw a man — whom police believe is the suspect — walking up his driveway with a firearm, alongside a “small, shoeless” child, the affidavit says.
Mary began to run, Lang told police. The surveillance footage then shows the suspect raise a firearm, per the affidavit.
Officers found Mary and Ferrin dead in Ferrin's home, where she had gone to seek refuge.
During their search of Gingles' home, authorities found a domestic violence injunction order on the kitchen table, per the affidavit. It stated that Nathan was not permitted any contact with Mary or Seraphine.
Eight deputies were suspended — with pay — from their jobs following Gingles’ murder.
PEOPLE was unable to immediately reach a lawyer for Nathan.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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