Throat of 74yr. old slit in Sand Hill Village
In tonight’s newscast, another infant dies in the deep south in Toledo. The family of the six month old child is claiming negligence on the part of health authorities at the Punta Gorda Hospital. We’ll have more on this heart wrenching story later in our newscast, but we go to the nation’s latest reported homicides. Three persons are dead, and that brings to four the number of murders since the beginning of this week. In the first, the Sand Hill community is shaken at the brutal murder of a well known and well liked elderly man who had fallen victim to increased criminal activity on at least two other occasions. He did not survive the latest attack. His naked body was found in a pool of blood behind his small thatched house. Jose Sanchez was at Sand Hill this morning and has the following report.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
A senior citizen who lived alone about three miles along the Salt Creek Road in Sandhill Village was slain on Monday. Esmeralda Alvarado and her husband, residents of Sand Hill who knew the deceased, visited the scene of the crime.
Esmeralda Alvarado, Friend of Murder Victim
“When I reached at the spot and I looked, I stood about ten or fifteen feet from the body, I saw it in a nude state. It was naked and so I just—because of my respect for this person, I neva want look no more further. Yes, I si dat dah him and I accept that and I just turn my head and I walk away. But my husband went and stand right in front of him and he came back and tell us, yes he was murdered. He had a cut on his throat and he seh ih open about three inches and it was a lot of blood on his face. Yoh know when dehn cut yoh and ih just spray up. But it is a brutal murder.”
The police arrived on the scene after six last night.
Inspector Calbert Flowers, O.C., Ladyville Police
“This person was alter identified as Aldomara Mendoza, a seventy-four year old Guatemalan but naturalized Belizean who has been living in the area for quite some time. The body was found lying on the ground face up behind his house with what appears to be a large cut wound across the throat. The investigation is going on, it is young, we have no leads so far. We do not have any idea who would want to harm this gentleman.”
Esmeralda Alvarado
“He take care ah himself but dah just, ih go round by we and everybody in di village give ah jobs. Di majority of people weh live deh fi years give ah jobs. Ih would ah chop fi people and help people do whatever deh fi do.”
Jose Sanchez
“He’s not the type of person that would have an enemy?”
Esmeralda Alvarado
“No, no, no, no enemy because he dah wah person weh from ih lef home, any kids weh ih si along di road, he wah give dehn biscuit, orange, golden plum; any fruit weh deh inna season, he wah give them.”
The eclectic junk that Mendoza collected could be found inside and outside of his patched thatched house. At the back of the home, his blood stains soak the fertile ground and nearby the only possible witness to the crime, a pet dog, waits on his master. Reports are that lately there has been increased violence in the area and Mendoza was victimized before.
Voice of: Sand Hill Resident.
“I know about ten months ago somebody come right here at his house and tie the old man and steal his little money, his flour and his food. But one of his friends pass right here and find di man tied. Di man was tied for three days. Somebody take off the rope and loose di man. I notice too last week, somebody came right here too and stole his flour and his food and leave di man wid no flour and no food. I think this village is very bad right now because a lot ah people come to steal, come to kill people and I want to ask the minister or di police do something because dis village no used to be like that.”
Esmeralda Alvarado
“To me whomever done it. I hope and pray they just find da who because things are getting out of hand.”
Inspector Calbert Flowers
“We are asking assistance from the public, anyone who has any information that can assist us with this investigation. We are appealing to anyone who may be family members of Mr. Mendoza because he was living alone and we don’t have any indication that he has family members in the country of Belize.”
Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
