The former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) husband of an American woman shot and killed at a Mexican resort earlier this month told Fox News Digital that he is moving more from his hometown of Los Angeles due to concerns about crime plaguing the California city. He said that he started spending time with the students. She is shot dead by the cartel.
Los Angeles-born Niko Honalbakhs, who chronicles his life and travels on Instagram and has amassed more than 120,000 followers, posted a video on February 9th at Mia Beach in Tulum, a popular tourist destination for Americans. Two suspects were shot and killed at the club, with bullets flying between them. According to Mexican authorities, drug dealers.
Her husband of about 15 years, Karl Perman, a former DEA agent who also worked in law enforcement in the Chicago and Detroit areas, told Fox News Digital last week that the two were living together at their home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He said that he was splitting his time between the two at home. Condo in Cancun, Mexico in the past 5 years. Now he’s planning a funeral.
After meeting through friends in Chicago, the couple built a life outside of Los Angeles, where Honalbakhsh grew up, with their two dogs, Skyler and Coco. But lately, Honalbakhsh has felt unsafe in her hometown because of the crime and homelessness plaguing Los Angeles. Especially since Perman’s current job in the private energy sector requires him to travel frequently.
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Niko Honalbakhsh and Karl Perman were married for nearly 15 years. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
“We were aware of the State Department recommendations, we were aware of reports of crime in the area, but honestly, our opinion was, look at Los Angeles.” Perman told FOX News Digital. “So, the truth is, depending on the region, I feel safer in Cancun many times than I do in Los Angeles.”
“I mean, Beverly Hills is a different story, but I spend most of my time outside of Beverly Hills. So I can tell you, I feel safer, and so did she.” Parman said. “We were aware of the crime. But if you look at the statistics again, I think the crime index for major metropolitan areas in the United States is probably greater than Cancun itself.”
Perman acknowledged the U.S. State Department’s recommendation for Quintana Roo, where both Cancun and Tulum are located, but said his wife had greater concerns about safety in Los Angeles.
“Criminal activity and violence can occur anytime and anywhere, including in popular tourist destinations. Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness,” the State Department said in Quintana Roo. He warned Americans to be more vigilant against crime. , avoid areas where illegal activity is taking place, and promptly leave any potentially dangerous situations. Although not directed at tourists, innocent bystanders are injured in gunfire between rival gangs. ”
Perman said he was out of town on business last summer when his wife called to say she was being followed by a man with a knife while walking her dog on the UCLA campus. He called 911 and her students knocked on her law library door and told her to let them in, she said. She had already called 911, and as soon as she entered the library, she called UCLA campus police, who responded, Perman said.
Nico Honalbakhs and Karl Perman of Puerto Saxto. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
“I’m from the Midwest, so considering she’s from Los Angeles, it’s more traditional. I mean, she was the creative one in the family. But from what she said… , “You know, we talked about it, definitely. That was one of her concerns,” Perman said of his wife’s thoughts about being alone in Los Angeles without him. . “She was concerned about her own safety. She was recently walking her dog on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, when she was chased by a person with a knife. It is.”
On Thursday, Perman on Fox News Digital’s show warned other Americans traveling to Mexico that they should heed the State Department’s warnings and stay aware of resources, saying that Mexican authorities and Mia Beach Club’s Pointed out how management initially labeled it unhelpful and had to defend it. Even though he was the victim of a crime, his wife had a bad reputation.
Another person, believed to be one of the drug traffickers, was also killed in the Feb. 9 shooting at the Tulum Beach Club.
In a statement released on February 11, Quintana Roo’s attorney general’s office refuted “false” reports that Honalbakhsh had ties to him.
Niko Honalbakhsh, Karl Perman and their dog traveling together. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
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“The point is, no one at any level helped me at all until I actually stood on their base and requested and called for assistance,” Perman told FOX News Digital. “The point is, I want people to know that you have to use your voice to say it…because I’m a big believer in that – I mean, I’m a die-hard gun I mean, my son, and, you know, obviously my training and stuff, but I just felt right away on Friday night… how long was she probably going to be missing?”
Two days after his wife was killed, Parman said he confronted the Quintana Roo attorney general’s office about false reports that his wife was not American and had been dealing drugs around Tulum for the past three months. Specifically, the rumor was false and an attempt. placing the blame on the victim.
Mr. Perman showed Mexican prosecutors his wife’s passport, birth certificate and marriage certificate (all showing that she was born in Los Angeles), and Mr. Perman and Mr. Honalbakhsh were in California for about six weeks until the end of January. He said they were together. Honalbakhsh said he had only been back in Mexico for about three or four days when he was killed.
“It seems like every time an American is killed here, it means they were doing something wrong, right? Buying drugs, selling drugs, being near drugs,” he said. Ta.
Niko Honalbakhsh and Karl Perman’s two beloved dogs, Skylar and Coco. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
Tragedy struck earlier this month after Perman was removed again for a work trip to West Palm Beach, Fla., and his wife chose to stay for several days at an Airbnb about two hours’ drive south of their Cancun condo. Happened. In Tulum, I loved that my dog was free to run around the beach without a leash.
Perman said he spoke to his wife several times before returning to Mexico on a connecting flight from West Palm Beach to Dallas, Texas. He then received a call from a friend who told him that an American woman matching Honalbakhsh’s description had been shot. mia beach club. When Perman landed in Mexico, his friend lent him a driver and took him to Tulum. The police, morgue and homicide detectives were closed for the night, so he headed to Mia Beach Club himself.
Perman said security guards let her in, but she saw that most of the beach was roped off. He said he found his wife’s hat and dog’s vest on the beach, as well as his car in the resort’s parking lot.
Perman spoke with a security guard there, then watched the video of the shooting and explained what happened.
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“Essentially, a man who appeared to be a drug dealer came in, saw another drug dealer, shot the drug dealer near the restaurant, and thought the other drug dealer was only injured. So he ran to get away from the other guy, and as he ran out onto the beach, the other guy chased him and fired, but he obviously lost control of the gun because he was running and shooting. “You didn’t do a good job, Nico,” he said.
The AG’s office said in a statement on Sunday that a taxi driver was arrested on suspicion of transporting three people to the Tulum crime scene (a seaside restaurant) to carry out the shooting. Authorities said the three men were responsible for the shooting that killed Honalbakhsh, but the gunman has not yet been captured.
According to Perman’s testimony, when he returned to the club the next day, the manager said, “He didn’t ask me to leave, but he welcomed me,” and described the man as unfriendly. The person who had worked the previous day claimed that there was no one nearby. Talk to him about what happened in the “chaos”.
Niko Honalbakhsh and Karl Perman’s dogs sit together in the bathtub. (Karl Perman/Fox News Digital)
“Do you understand who I am? I’m like, that’s my wife. Well, I’d appreciate it if you could give me the details,” Parman recalled of the exchange. “In fact, he was saying he wasn’t happy with things because he was told by the government that part of the club had to be shut down and it was taped shut. So I told him, as far as I know, , you said you should.” It’s not open at all. ”
Mia Beach Club could not be reached for comment.
Perman said he spent hours in the homicide detective’s office afterward, demanding confirmation of the identity of his wife’s body.
“I mean, I said, how do I identify the body? They didn’t show me anything. They didn’t show me any pictures. They wouldn’t let me see the body, they… didn’t show me anything, and I was like, ‘Well, how do I know this is her? ” He said. Eventually, that night, authorities showed Perman the body, and Perman confirmed that it was his wife.
He initially spent hours at the state attorney general’s office refuting their claims that he had been photographed with one of the suspected drug traffickers, and then asked to meet again with Mexican prosecutors. He credited the U.S. government, particularly the DEA and the State Department, for helping facilitate it. Perman said in a meeting with top Tulum police and prosecutors that Mexican authorities had reevaluated the photo and confirmed that the woman in the image was not Honalbakhsh.
Perman said Mexican authorities eventually apologized.
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“Nico was a very positive person who loved life. This shouldn’t happen, it’s not fair,” Perman said through tears. “And I think this will make people think about A. Improving local security in some way, and hopefully make them aware of their surroundings in two ways, and perhaps prevent a horrible situation.” That is wonderful. “
