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Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco, a 42-year-old mother of five from Hawaii, was fatally shot inside her van in January 2002. Authorities found her unresponsive and shot in the face, neck, and ears inside the vehicle, which had been driven off-road. An autopsy revealed that she was shot at least 14 times, resulting in immediate death.
According to reports, Cathy's husband at the time, Albert Pacheco, was behind the murder that was triggered by marital problems. Albert, who was then a Big Island police officer, called 911 immediately after the incident and confessed to murdering his wife.
A subsequent investigation revealed an abusive marriage between the couple, contradicting their devout churchgoing and seemingly perfect family picture.
An upcoming episode of ID's American Monster is scheduled to revisit Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco's 20-year-old case, following recent developments in her husband's conviction. The all-new episode, titled Gone Hunting, airs on Sunday, January 15, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
The synopsis states:
"Police officer Albert Pacheco and his wife Cathy live on Hawaii's Big Island, raising four kids in the bosom of their close-knit church community; what looks like a household steeped in traditional goodness is hiding something evil."
Hawaii-based realtor Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco was shot to death by her police officer husband
A backstory into the life of Cathy Pacheco before her tragic death
Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco was born in Texas in 1959 to an American father and a Japanese mother and was brought up in Hawaii. She spent most of her childhood and teenage years living with her mother after her parents divorced when she was seven. At the age of 18, she moved out and married 31-year-old Arnold Robin. Their daughter, Shannon, was born shortly before their divorce.
Sources state that a couple of years down the line, Cathy met young police officer Albert Pacheco when she was pulled over for a traffic check in Waikiki, fell in love, got married, had four children, and moved to Big Island. Her husband then joined the Hawaii County Police Department.
How was Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco murdered?
In the evening hours of January 4, 2002, Cathy was gunned down on a residential street in Waikoloa by her husband, Albert Pacheco, moments after he rammed into her van. Albert then called 911, reporting the incident to fellow police officers. First responders found the victim dead with multiple gunshot wounds to her face and surrounding areas.
According to Star Bulletin, a witness named Dawn Cachero, who was visiting a friend's house at the time the incident occurred, claimed that she saw a man, later confirmed as Albert Pacheco, driving his vehicle - a police subsidized car - crash into a van. He then approached the victim's van and fired around six to eight rounds. She then heard another eight to ten gunshots.
Albert mostly complied with the police and handed himself over. He was taken into custody right away and charged with murder. He alleged that she was unfaithful, and he had made the appropriate decision.
Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco's daughter revealed chilling details about her marriage to Albert Pacheco
Shannon, Cathy's daughter from the first marriage, revealed that Albert was abusive towards her mother and allegedly even pointed his gun at her during an argument. Shannon alleged that her stepfather was unhappy with Cathy's job and wanted her to be a stay-at-home mother to their five children.
At the time of her death, Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco was a successful realtor. One of the victim's acquaintances said that the victim had to work since their family was having financial difficulties.
Albert, a deeply religious man, apparently wasn't happy with his wife's work and said that it went against what the Bible asserted. Cathy was abused by Albert once at a religious retreat, and Albert didn't like it when she interacted with men at work. A few months before the murder, he even accused her of cheating on him, which prompted her to think about separation at the beginning of 2002.
Albert Pacheco eventually accepted a plea deal and, in 2004, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years for second-degree murder and 20 years for carrying or using a firearm in the commission of a separate felony.
Tune in to American Monster on ID to learn more about Cathalene "Cathy" Pacheco's murder case.
