Widow Of Slain Garage Owner Speaks, Suspect Denied Bond

KENDALL (CBS4) – A Southwest Miami-Dade man who police believe shot and killed one of the owners of a popular Kendall Service and Tire Center has also been charged with the murder of one of his neighbors.

And the widow of the owner of that tire center is speaking out on CBS4, saying she was "robbed of her soul mate of 20 years."

Matthew Guzman, 21, has been charged with first degree murder in the deaths of 46-year old Paul Barrow and 64-year old Harry Ray along with armed burglary, carrying a concealed firearm and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Guzman faced a judge Tuesday who denied him bond.

"I am at a loss for words," said Audree Barrow. "He was an amazing man. He was everything to us. I am glad they found whoever did this."

"He was my husband, my soul mate of 20 years. He robbed me of my soul mate of 20 years," Barrow told CBS4′s Peter D'Oench just prior to the bond court appearance for Guzman. "He was a fighter and he did everything for us."

Barrow said she and her three teenage daughters and their friends attended the bond court session because they wanted to see the man accused of taking Barrow's life.

"I thank God for this arrest," Barrow said. "This crime makes no sense at all. I have not spoken with police yet."

"He would have given that kid anything," said Barrow. "He knew him. I don't know why this happened. I have no answers."

Barrow cried out in court as Guzman was held without bond: "This is senseless. Senseless. There was no reason for this."

On the way out of court, she told D"Oench, "I am ready to throw up. He was the last person to see him alive. This is disgusting. Absolutely disgusting."

Paul Barrow was fatally shot in his tire shop. Long-time employee Rigo Company said he arrived moments after the customer discovered Barrow lying wounded on the floor of the shop.

"There was nobody here but him, on the floor, bleeding, when we got here," said Company, an employee of 16 years. "What I can say about him is he's the greatest guy I've ever met. He didn't deserve to go like this."

Friends and customers described Barrow as kind and generous, often extending credit to customers who were short on cash, or giving them services outright.

Just weeks earlier, in November, police say Guzman also murdered his neighbor, Harry Ray. Guzman and Ray lived right next door to each other.

Ray's family says he was shot in the head just a day before his 65th birthday.

Ray's son-in-law, who now lives in Central Florida, remembered Guzman's strange behavior just days after the murder.

"When I was sitting out there waiting, this kid came out the front door, and he looked at me, and he grinned," said Michael Muffett, Ray's son-in-law, in a phone interview with CBS4's Gio Benitez.

Perhaps even stranger, the family says Guzman offered to help them clean out Ray's house for money.

"He came over and asked us if we needed help, if he could help us move," said Muffett.

During their investigation of the Barrow shooting, police recovered a projectile and a bullet casing. A forensic check of the spent casing and projectile came back with a match to a projectile and casing found at a murder scene on November 17th. Guzman had been listed as a person of interest in the second case.

On January 2nd, Guzman was arrested for a burglary. It was during questioning for this crime that he reportedly confessed to killing his neighbor and Barrow.

Guzman said he had originally gone to Ray's house to confront him about alleged racist remarks the man had made. Once inside Ray's home, Guzman reportedly shot the man several times before putting his gun to the man's head and firing the final shot. According to the arrest affidavit, Guzman told investigators Ray made homosexual advances toward him and he had no choice but to shoot him.

The families of both victims deny the accusation of homosexual tendencies.

Guzman is being held without bond.