2 Detained for San Pedro Murder

Daniel Espat

Two year old Daniel Espat was shot twice to the head at two o’clock on Tuesday morning as he slept in his small family apartment.  His mother, Aleyda Espat, who was lying beside him, remains hospitalized at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital with a punctured lung. They are casualties of a drug war being staged in the island of San Pedro. Tonight, the news is that police have detained two men from the island, who are believed to be the main suspects. Several other persons who are known to be adversaries of the Espat family are also under investigation. The head of the family is Rolando Espat Senior, who is an alleged beach comber. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.  

Voice of: Rolando Espat Sr., Father of Deceased

“I’m not taking no revenge and I forgive any person who did it.  I don’t wish them wrong, I don’t wish them bad.  They did what they had to do and they will live with that in their conscience.”

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The death of a fourth son at the hands of a cold-blooded killer on Tuesday morning in San Pedrito has undoubtedly left Rolando Espat defeated.  Gun violence has all but wiped out an entire generation of his progeny.

Voice of: Rolando Espat Sr.

“I’m leaving it into the police, into the police’s hands and into God’s hands.  I’m not taking no revenge, I will leave it up to the Lord and the police’s hands to do their work.”

Despite complying with investigators and offering the names of those whom he believes may be after him, Espat hasn’t given San Pedro police much to work with; that is a plausible reason why he has been marked for death.

Luis Castellanos

Voice of: Rolando Espat Sr.

“I already gave some names to the police and the police are looking into the matter.  They are investigating, like I tell you, you know.”

Supt. Luis Castellanos, O.C., Coastal Zone Unit

“We have a minor detained yes, that is correct and presently we are questioning him at the moment, as we speak at the moment.”

The misfortune that has befallen the Espat family is the result of a series of incidents, some believed to be isolated.  What they seemingly have in common is the notion that the ongoing feud may be drug-related.  While that theory remains unconfirmed, it is a widely held belief by residents, as well as law enforcement.  Heightened criminal activity has also seen the presence of the Gang Suppression Unit on the island.

Supt. Luis Castellanos

“They were here from before.  We had stepped up our law enforcement response.  We had put more patrols in the area.  We had given directives to our relief personnel working the relief that any available moment that they had to patrol they must make San Pedrito an area of concern for them to patrol.  And so, with Mr. Mark Flowers coming here they were already here operating, doing some patrols, preventative patrols.  So this is just another addition to assist us, I would say.”

Notwithstanding a history of antagonism with other families, Espat firmly believes that the previous incident in which his neighbor’s apartment was targeted is directly linked to Tuesday’s deadly attack.

Voice of: Rolando Espat Sr.

“I think so.  They are the same persons that did that shooting, they are the same persons who did it last night because it’s similar.  They just stand on the street and shoot into the house.  So common sense tells you it’s the same person.”

That individual is yet to be identified. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.