Questions in Beheading of Cotton Tree Man

Hilton Wade

The lopped-off head of fifty-six-year-old Hilton Wade was discovered on a bench under a makeshift bus shed in Cotton Tree Village on Wednesday morning.  His mutilated body was found approximately one mile from where his head had been placed for public viewing.  It is a most gruesome murder that Roaring Creek police are tasked with investigating, as beheadings and dismemberment are rare types of homicide in Belize.  While an arrest is yet to be made in this grisly killing, police are reporting that they have one man in custody for questioning, in connection with the incident.  There are a number of theories surrounding Wade’s decapitation, all leads that are presently being followed.

Alejandro Cowo

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Police have so far detained a person.  The person is presently in custody.  He is being dealt with by Roaring Creek police and I know that his residence was searched.  Where police found certain items that can assist in the investigation.”

Reporter

“Now sir, do police have any kind of information into this gentleman’s lifestyle, in terms of what was he doing at that house?  We understand that that particular building is not his.”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“Well what the police have gathered so far by interviewing the neighbors, [is] that he was a person that lived by himself.  He was living at that house for a good while.  Yes, there is information that he was a person that was suffering from some kind of mental illness; however, there is nothing medically certified to confirm that.  But that is the, what the neighbors are commenting and based on what we are getting from them.  Likewise, we know that he had some, that same mental illness caused him to have several disputes with many of the villagers and things like that, you know.”

Isani Cayetano

“I understand that there’s an allegation that involves a Chinese businessman and the fact that threats were sent to this individual on one occasion, and on another occasion it is reported that two persons, presumably villagers, had approached him earlier in the week.  Would you be able to either verify that information or dispel that claim?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“There are several leads that we are following as to many complaints from the villagers as to his behavior and other things that might have resulted in his death, you know.  So far that is all I can tell you in regards to that investigation.”

Reporter

“Have police been identify who’s the owner of that home sir?  Does he own it as far as police are aware?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“We are working at this moment.  We have a name but we have not confirmed it as yet.  We are trying to get the people from the Lands Department to confirm exactly, to verify who is the owner of that actual premises there.”

Wade’s remains are at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital awaiting a post mortem examination.