Last weekend, Foshan was rocked by an unspeakable crime, a crime that has left the city – best known for kung fu legend Ip Man – devastated and on edge.
On July 17, Jamal Aboulfaouz, a New Zealand citizen of Moroccan descent, entered a local bar and knifed to death his longtime girlfriend Jessica before killing himself with the same weapon. Both were discovered by establishment staff bloodied and lifeless next to the bar’s cash register.
The story naturally picked up considerable media coverage last week and, when That’s initially reported on the story, most of Aboulfaouz’s acquaintances painted him as friendly and laidback – the type of person you would be happy to have a beer with after a long day at the office. After speaking in greater depth with Foshan residents who knew him well, however, it became clear that this was not the case.
Although Aboulfaouz was regularly able to present himself publically as a fun-loving ‘party guy,’ his private life with Jessica was marred by abuse and his controlling nature, according to Jessica’s friend and former Foshan resident Laura Cooke.
We received conflicting reports on whether Jessica and Aboulfaouz were dating at the time of the murder-suicide, but every source we spoke to said they were living together.
“He was living in a house that she was paying rent for,” said Cooke. “But she was hoping to get rid of him at the end of February I believe.”
Jessica also wanted to sell the bar, which she reportedly owned with her family, as part of an effort to end her relationship with Aboulfaouz. According to Cooke, Jessica thought that if she sold the bar, Aboulfaouz would stop being part of her life.
Eventually, the private incidences of abuse became public, when Aboulfaouz and Jessica engaged in an unrestricted argument earlier this year in a Foshan WeChat group.
“They fought many times,” said Santiago Rodriguez, a five-year Foshan resident and local restaurant owner. “Even in the WeChat group they were managing.”
While the public WeChat argument offered many Foshan residents a glimpse into the domestic issues between Jessica and Aboulfaouz, this was not the case for Cooke and her husband, who years earlier had witnessed Aboulfaouz throwing luggage down a staircase within Oasis (Tabu’s former name) in front of customers.
“He was unpredictable,” said Cooke.
Another source we spoke with, who requested their name be withheld, said Jessica had recently told them she feared for her safety:
“They were back together after a big fight and she told me that he [Aboulfaouz] said he would never let her go. She was scared that he would do something to her. She asked me to talk to him, because she was scared."
Aboulfaouz later reportedly promised he wouldn’t hurt Jessica.
Sadly, this turned out not to be the case, and now a woman, remembered for her beautiful smile, kind soul and ambitious work ethic, is dead.
“Jessica was always lovely and such a nice person, she helped me many times and I can't believe what happened to her,” said one Foshan resident. “She was always smiling, even in bad moments, and we all love her. May her soul now rest in peace in a better place.”
Cooke echoes these sentiments and hopes Jessica’s story will encourage others to step in and help victims of abuse.
“The best that we can do for Jessica and her family is to stand up, step in and support anyone, foreign or domestic, who may be in a similar situation,” said Cooke.
[Images via Facebook, WeChat]
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