Two Guatemalans Murdered in Belize, Police say it’s a Drug Deal Gone Wrong
Three men were killed in two separate incidents within hours of each other in the west. The first, a double murder, occurred on Thursday afternoon, in the San Francisco area of San Ignacio Town. Two Guatemalan nationals, believed to be drug peddlers from neighboring Melchor De Mencos, Peten were executed off a feeder road between mile sixty-nine and seventy leading to the Mopan River in San Ignacio; their bodies were lying side by side with multiple gunshots. It is suspected that the murders were motivated by a drug deal gone wrong. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
On Thursday afternoon, off the cutoff to the garbage dump near Misty Meadow Farms, police discovered the bodies of two Guatemalan nationals. Fifty-two-year-old Santos Ramon Gomez and thirty-seven-year-old Orlando Antonio Garcia Calletal—both of Melchor De Mencos—were executed, shot to the back of the head, off a feeder road between mile sixty-nine and seventy leading to the Mopan River.
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez, O.C., C.I.B., San Ignacio Police
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“We received information of two bodies sighted at this area in San Francisco Road off Benque Viejo Road. We went to the scene and saw the motionless bodies of two Mestizo descent male persons. At the scene we found four expended shells and two slugs. These two persons presented what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head and both of them were lying face down. At the scene we found a D.P.E., what is considered for them as their identification card. Through that we learnt the identity of one of them to be Santos Ramos Gonzalez Gomez, fifty-two years old of Barrio El Champerito, Melchor De Mencos, Peten.
With the assistance of the Guatemalan Consul, we established he identity of the second person to be Orlando Antonio Garcia Calletal, thirty-seven years of Barrio Latoria, Melchor De Mencos, Peten.”
Investigations reveal that Gonzalez Gomez and Garcia Calletal legally entered Belize through the western border around seven-thirty on Thursday morning, several hours before they were killed. Surveillance footage captured the men getting into a taxi after passing through immigration.
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“This morning, we made checks at the surveillance system at the Belize Border Management Authority at the western border and it is showing that these two persons crossed the border sometime around seven-thirty a.m. Because of what we saw at the scene, it indicates that these persons were killed sometime around midday or before. As how I mentioned, the observation at the scene.”
Duane Moody
“How did these men gain entry? In a vehicle? did they catch a taxi from the border, did someone go and pick them up?”
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“It is…the surveillance footage is showing that they border a taxi.”
It is suspected that the double murder was motivated by a drug transaction gone wrong. At this location about a month and a half ago, police found one hundred and sixty-five pounds of drugs. According to Commander of the Crime Investigation Branch for San Ignacio, Inspector Jaime Gonzalez, intelligence and evidence on the scene supports that motive.
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“We have two reasons to believe that. First because that area is an area known to us to be used by drug traffickers. If I can recall about a month and a half, there was the seizure of a sack and a half of marijuana along with a pump twelve. Likewise, previously sometime like a year or two, I made a seizure in that area of about twenty pounds. Also at the scene, we observed a twenty-five kilograms scale that is usually used to weigh sacks or heavy items.”
Duane Moody
“Are these men known to police to have been involved in criminal activity; in particular drugs?”
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“Based on records from our intelligence section, Special Branch, it reveals that Santos; he is a person who has been called out several times during drug arrests made as a person to be one of the suppliers.”
Duane Moody
“So they are Guatemalan drug peddlers who came into Belize?”
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“That is what we believe.”
By all indications, the Guatemalan men were making a drop, but no drugs were discovered in the area. So who could have killed them? A total of four persons have been detained and police are looking for one person for questioning.
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“We are not certain of that yet, but we have some guys in custody. This morning we questioned one of them, however, we are looking for another person who we have met in that area. He is a local from San Ignacio and we want to speak with him to see what information we can get from him that may assist us in the investigation.”
Duane Moody
“Is it suspected that these men brought drugs this time around across the border. Given the fact that the scale was there and all of that, that they had brought marijuana with them?”
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“Well because of the scale being there that gave us the indication that probably drugs was brought.”
Duane Moody
“But the surveillance didn’t show that?”
Insp. Jaime Gonzalez
“No, what happen is that area, there is a track through the bushes that they use…there is a road that goes all the way through Calla Creek towards the Guatemalan border. So it could be that these guys went in legally, went for their product and returned back. Or, we are also contemplating that probably others brought it and that was a focal point for them to meet.”
A post mortem was done on the bodies this afternoon. Duane Moody for News Five.
