LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - A widow and mother of two is mourning her husband who was shot and killed outside of a Miami Gardens Chili’s restaurant.
Claudine Wilson-Reid showed 7News the drawings her son made of their family, complete with images of his mother, brother and late father, 36-year-old Lester Reid.
According to police, Lester was killed Monday by 31-year-old Arturo Exum.
Claudine spoke to 7News and explained her feelings on the incident. “I’m angry at the person who pulled the trigger because he had no sovereign spiritual right to do that, and I’m sad,” she said.
Claudine was married to her husband for 14 years, and she says, he was the pillar of their family. “I’m thankful to God that he died doing what he loved, this, and it was providing for his children,” she said.
Lester was killed while working at a Miami Gardens Chili’s as a cook. Detectives said Lester and a female coworker got into a verbal altercation, which resulted in the coworker calling her boyfriend, Exum, coming to the establishment and shooting and killing Lester.
“Lester was the type of person who stood up for what he believed in, but he never went out there searching for a fight,” Claudine said.
Claudine said she spoke to her husband shortly before he got shot. “He said, ‘I love you, gotta go. It’s busy in here,’ like he always said. I said, ‘I love you too.'”
Hours later, Claudine learned through social media that her husband had been shot and killed. “It felt live every breath, right here, went,” said Claudine through tears and pointing to her chest. “My husband didn’t deserve to die like this.”
Exum told a judge in court he has hired a private attorney.
Now, in addition to losing her partner for nearly a decade and a half, Claudine must learn to raise their two children on her own. However, at 14 and 9 years old, when the boys need their father the most, they must now learn to adjust.
“This family has lost one of the blocks in here,” Claudine said. “I’m going to be strong for my sons because that would be what he wanted of me.”
The Chili’s where Lester worked was closed Wednesday. Company officials said they will be providing counseling for employees.
Exum now faces first-degree murder charges.
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