Jane Doe No More: Suspect Being Questioned in Michelle Moreira Murder
Edward Broaster
Last week we told you that Police have since identified the homeless woman as – Michelle Moriera- whose body was retrieved from the Belize River two weeks ago. Moriera’s badly decomposing corpse was discovered with several chop wounds to the head. Now police have one person detained. The man is said to be Moriera’s common-law partner. Police were looking for him before we went on Christmas break and they said they put out an All-Points Bulletin and picked him up in the city on Tuesday. So, is he a suspect? Police say he is giving conflicting stories and is being treated as a suspect.
ACP Edward Broaster, Regional Commander, Rural Eastern Division
“We have properly identified Michelle Moriera, yes. We are in contact with one of her sons and we have detained one individual who is believed to be in some sort of a common-law relationship with her. He was questioned. We still have him in custody because he told us that the last time he was seen or saw Michelle Moriera was on the Saturday, prior to her death and we have information that he was with her the day before her death.”
Reporter
“What is the disposition of that individual; does he seem to be in all his mental?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“He has all his mental faculty with him.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, so right now he is a suspect in that murder?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“We are treating him as a suspect, yeah.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, the two of them lived exactly where?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“We have identified an abandoned house on the Boom Hattieville Road.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, in terms of where they lived, did the Police go to investigate that area to see if there was a struggle or anything that pointed to what may have happened?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“Yes. We process that area and we have information that indicate that she may not have been killed at that location.”
Reporter
“How long was this man with Michelle?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“We are still trying to get information to establish that at this time.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, I know you said you got conflicting reports from him; is he cooperating, though – providing all the information you are requesting?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“He is not cooperating fully with us. Like I said, he gave us a representation of when last he was with her and we have statement putting him closer than Saturday – actually the day before her death.”
Andrea Polanco
“Sir, I know the last time we spoke, I think you were looking for him; is this a situation where you had to go and find him or did he come in to the station and hand in himself?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“We had Precinct four put out an APB and they picked him up in Belize City and turned him over to us. More than likely this was Tuesday.”
Reporter
“Sir, what do you foresee happening in this case? Do you foresee he could be charged anytime soon because he has already been in detention and I imagine it has been a few days?”
ACP Edward Broaster
“Well, we have to put together a proper investigation and obtained evidence in order to prosecute him. So, we got him on the twenty-seventh.”
