Reading Log

I read the book Love Me Or I’ll Kill You; I think this book was excellent. It really just captured my attention from the very first page. The characters in the story were Paula Gutierrez and Nestor "Chino" DeJesus, they were a Hispanic couple that were originally raised in New York. They had a very abusive relationship, Chino was the dominant one and he physically and mentally abused Paula almost every single day. She was too afraid to leave him and so she endured the beatings. They had one daughter and after her birth they packed up and they moved to Tampa, Florida. On July 6th, 2001 Chino developed the idea that they should rob a bank. The robbery was unsuccessful and the affair ended up in a standoff in the couple’s apartment complex. The ordeal lasted for 3 ½ hours. It finally ended in Chino killing a well-known female police officer, Lois Marrero while taking his own life.

On July 6th, 2001 Chino woke up with a hot temper. Paula immediately got up and started cooking breakfast, she recognized that temper and she wanted to do anything to keep her from getting a beat down. Chino began ranting and raving about how the "system" was messed up and how everyone was trying to keep him from succeeding. Then he devised the plan that him and Paula should rob a bank, her reply was no and that it was dangerous. She tried to persuade him to change his mind but Chino was determined; he called his mother to come and get their daughter and then he forced Paula in the car with his mac-11 semiautomatic.

Armed with the gun and scarves on their faces, they ran into the bank, they left with approximately 10,000 dollars. What they fail to realize was Chino had grabbed a dye pack while grabbing the money. A dye pack is a pack the bank installs in between stacks of money and once the pack has crossed the security codes it sets off a timer. Which then explodes spilling tear gas and red ink everywhere. The money becomes stained and the robbers are usually set into a fury of pain from the gas. This is what happened in the car as Chino and Paula was speeding away from their crime. Devastated, Chino threw all the money out the window; but by then the police knew exactly what car they were in and were on pursuit.

Later on as they entered their apartment complex, Chino gunned down officer Marrero in the parking lot. The bullets zipped through her body and bounced of many vital organs. She was shot twice and each bullet wound also had an exit hole. The couple ran into Isaac Davis’s apartment and kept him captive for 3-½ hours straight; although they couple assured him they wouldn’t hurt him, he was frightened for his life. Throughout all that time the whole Tampa SWAT unit was positioned outside. Chino was determined not to go to jail. He once mentioned I’m leaving here in a body bag, one way or another. While inside Chino constantly tried to persuade Paula to commit suicide with him; she would argue back saying jail wouldn’t be so bad. The ordeal ended by Chino finally deciding on suicide and Paula agreeing. They sat across from each other, both with guns under their chins. Chino said on the count of three, they would pull the trigger…one..two..pow! Only one died…. Chino, Paula had chickened out. She put her hands behind her head and walked out the apartment and into the arms of the police.

This book was so extremely addictive, I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read this. Even though Paula wasn’t involved in the murders and all she did at the bank was hold the gun, she was given the life sentence. She’s spending her life behind the bars in Tampa, Florida. She has stated since then that she actually feels safer in jail then she has felt within all her days with Chino. I think what had me so drawn into this book was the fact that this is a true story. None of the names in this book has been changed, everything that occurred in the book actually did happen. Out of five thumbs I would give Love Me Or I’ll Kill You FIVE thumbs!