Grief and outrage filled the air as dozens of Tamarac residents came together for a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening, mourning three lives lost in a brutal act of domestic violence.
The vigil was held just over a week after the killings and became more than a moment of remembrance. It was a call for change.
“This tragedy has brought to light a lot of things that we should be keeping in mind—domestic violence, mental health, veterans who need support,” Tamarac Mayor Michelle Gomez said.
Victims killed after seeking help
The violence unfolded when Mary Gingles ran to her neighbor’s house for help after her estranged husband, Nathan Gingles, shot her father, David Ponzer, police said.
Nathan followed her, killing both Mary and neighbor Andrew Ferrin, who had tried to assist her.
“Knowing what happened to those three innocent people and the terror that Mary and her father and that little girl had to go through and that innocent neighbor who was trying to help. It’s all so unfair,” said Lynne Caggiano, a neighbor who lives across the street.
Nathan then fled with his 4-year-old daughter, triggering an Amber Alert. He was later arrested in a Walmart parking lot in North Lauderdale and the child was found safe.
History of domestic violence raises questions
Mary had filed a restraining order against Nathan after multiple domestic violence incidents and was in the process of divorcing him.
Dr. Joanette Brooks-George, who works with domestic violence victims through the organization Unmute Yourself Inc., said the case followed a tragic pattern.
“When I got the Amber Alert, I turned to my husband and said, ‘It’s going to be a murder-suicide if we’re not careful.'” Brooks-George said. “That’s what happens.”
She emphasized that survivors must be heard and protected.
“She had a right to call the first time he broke the injunction, and she had a right for an officer to come and arrest him,” Brooks-George said. “There are people who will believe you the first time, that’s the biggest problem.”
Law enforcement failures under scrutiny
Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony suspended seven deputies, citing “shortcomings” in how they handled Mary’s domestic violence case.
Mayor Gomez acknowledged the need for systemic reforms.
“Sometimes our police can’t do it alone,” she said. “It’s a systematic failure, and we need changes all throughout our system.”
Nathan Gingles is facing multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder. Authorities are working to determine custody arrangements for his daughter.
