Love Triangle, Jealousy and Murder in P.G.

Police in Punta Gorda are looking for a man who stabbed popular musician Lascelle Martinez to death on Wednesday morning.  He has been identified as Simon Lino, who is on the lam.  Martinez was having lunch when Lino turned up at his house and after an exchange of words, he stabbed him multiple times on the back. The musician, who was the son of a former government minister Peter Eden Martinez, attempted to get away but did not get far when he collapsed. But just before the fatal stabbing, Lino used the same knife on Tiannie Figueroa, the woman at the center of the love triangle. She remains hospitalized as police look for the jealous killer.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano headed to Punta Gorda today and files the following report.

Peter Eden Martinez

Peter Eden Martinez, Father of Deceased

“Lascelle is a very vibrant fellow.  He’s an excellent musician, you know.  I thought him how to play the keyboard for quite some time.  I think he was still in high school when I thought him.  Really, he is my last son and we are very, very close, you know.”

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Popular Belizean musician Lascelle Martinez, son of former UDP Toledo East Area Representative Peter Eden Martinez, has been murdered.  The fatal stabbing incident took place here, at a residence on Victoria Street on Wednesday around midday.  His best friend and roommate Ainslie Valerio was at home when the tragic incident unfolded.

Ainslie Valerio

Ainslie Valerio, Roommate of Deceased

“About eleven-thirty or eleven-thirty-five more or less, I was getting ready to go to work.  I mi di iron up and thing so.  So about five minutes before I start iron wahn vehicle reach in front ah mi house noh.  So I come outside and I sih wahn red Ford Ranger vehicle park in front ah mi house.  So I come outside and I ask the young man, “Weh gaan on mi bally?”  Ih seh, “Bwai Ducky, or mi bally I could, Lascelle di deh?”  I tell ahn yes, “Lascelle is having lunch.”

Ducky, as Martinez’s best friend is otherwise known, went back inside the house to inform him that someone outside was asking to see him.  Martinez was having lunch at the time and set aside his meal to see who the visitor was.  That individual was identified as Simon Lino, someone who, it turns out, wasn’t too fond of Martinez.

Lascelle Martinez

Ainslie Valerio

“What caught my attention is like when I hyah Lascelle eena wahn voice and seh, “Well da you haffi talk to yo lady.”  And that caught my attention, so I open di screen door.  So as soon as Lascelle seh, “Bwai da haffi talk to yo lady,” Lascelle turn his back towards my door fu come inside fi like avoid problems, you know.  So I gaan and I unplug mi iron and I walk outside, but during that time he mussi mi done grab ih knife fu inflict my friend eena ih back noh.”

And that’s exactly what happened next.  Simon Lino, having attacked the young woman in question moments earlier, proceeded to stab Martinez at least two or three times while his back was turned towards him.

Ainslie Valerio

“I saw the second stab.  I saw when he… Da di third stab I throw wahn towel in front ah him, you know.  I mih wahn stone di iron eena ih face but di towel just come offa di board, cause di knife gaan through the towel also.  So I look around fih anything else weh I could defend myself too because I done know fi he mind done change pan me.  So by the time I gaan fi pick up wahn bottle or wahn rock, he jump eena ih vehicle and he drive off towards more Victoria Street.”

The sudden attack caught both roommates by surprise.  When Ainslie checked on his friend afterwards, he was nowhere to be seen.  Mortally wounded, Lascelle had jumped through the back window of the house and ran towards West Street before collapsing shortly thereafter.

Francis Zuniga

Insp. Francis Zuniga, Deputy O.C., Punta Gorda Police

“We received information of a person being at the accident and emergency ward, Punta Gorda Town.  As a result of that information, Punta Gorda police visited the emergency ward at the PG Hospital, where a male person was seen with stab wounds being treated by the medical practitioners.”

Sadly, the musician, a mainstay at Waluco’s Restaurant and Bar, would not survive the deadly encounter.

Tiannie Figueroa

Peter Eden Martinez

“Just after a quarter past twelve I received a call that he had been injured and I proceeded to the hospital where he was in emergency.  It wasn’t until about forty-five minutes afterwards that’s when the doctors informed me that he had passed and that they tried their best to stabilize him but to no avail.  So he succumbed at just about a quarter to one, I think it was.”

Martinez passed away at the Punta Gorda Hospital.  The young woman, twenty-year-old Tiannie Figueroa, whom he was allegedly killed for, was also stabbed multiple times outside of her home on VOA Road moments earlier.

Michelle Polonio

Michelle Polonio, Cousin of Stabbing Victim

“All ah we just mi deh sihdown underneath the coconut tree and she and di young man mi di gat some kinda conversation and then afta dat he tell ahn once she noh give ahn wahn next chance dat how she noh wahn end up with nobody else.  Then afta dat Tiannie tell ahn dat how she and he done.  So dah then he get vex and he haul out di knife from outta ih back pocket and then Tiannie run then she drop ya and then he staat stab up ahn with di knife pan ih leg and side yah and pan ih hand.”

Isani Cayetano

“When you guys saw that happening, what was your immediate reaction to try to either rescue Tiannie from her attacker or try to get him away from her?”

Michelle Polonio

“Well, all ah we try run towards the young man weh mi gat di knife and try help and pick up a weapon but he mi wahn attack all ah we.  Then wahn young man weh mi deh ya, he pick up my nephew [toy] car and then he stone it toppa ahn and da soh he end up di drop di knife and then he pick it up and then he just gaan eena ih car and ride off.”

…to confront Martinez about his affair with Tiannie Figueroa.  The tragic outcome has left Martinez dead, Figueroa admitted to ward at the Southern Regional Hospital in stable condition and their attacker on the run from the law. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.