Body of Missing Honduran Woman Discovered in Shallow Grave

Julia Timotea Milian Moran

The body of Julia Timotea Milian Moran was found inside a shallow grave over the weekend and police believe her killer was well-known to her.  The mother of four, who is originally from Honduras, lived in the village of Santa Cruz and police have arrested Jorge Leon from the village of Steadfast, who was last seen with her when she checked into the police station at the end of July. She had been charged for injuring one of Leon’s daughters during a brouhaha in Steadfast. Milian was in a relationship with Leon, but tonight he has been charged for her murder. Here is News Five’s Duane Moody with a report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Over the weekend, a gruesome discovery was made on a farm off the Hummingbird Highway in the village of Steadfast. The decomposing body of Julia Timotea Milian Moran was found in a shallow grave about twenty minutes off the main road leading to a large farm in the village. There were no signs of injury on the body, but a post-mortem will determine the cause of death.

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“Police launched an investigation into the matter where they detained and interviewed one Jorge Leon, fifty-five years also of Santa Cruz Village, but also having an address in Steadfast Village in the Stann Creek District. During the course of the investigation, police visited a farm at sixteen miles on the Stann Creek Valley Road where they found a shallow grave and upon digging up that grave, the body of Julia Milian was found in an advanced state of decomposition. The body was removed from there and is awaiting a post-mortem examination at this time.”

Milian is a Honduran national who lived in Santa Cruz Village on the Southern Highway, but frequented Pomona Village, which is in proximity to Steadfast. She was last seen alive on July twenty-ninth in Dangriga Town in the company of the man that is in police custody.  Her sister made a missing person’s report one week later to the Independence Police.

Joseph Myvett

ACP Joseph Myvett

“On Friday, sometime around 5:30 p.m., Independence Police received a missing person report from Irma Milian who reported on the thirtieth of July sometime in the evening, her sister Julia Milian Moran, thirty-nine years of Santa Cruz Village, left home to an unknown destination and has not been seen or heard from since. Several attempts were made to contact her on her cell phone which were not successful.”

Jorge Leon has since been charged for the murder of Milian. He was last seen in the company of the deceased at the Dangriga Police Station when she went to sign in as part of a bail condition imposed. That charge is the result of an incident one month ago in which Milian injured one of Leon’s daughters during an altercation in Steadfast. Milian was in a relationship with Leon, who lived with his wife and children in Steadfast. Former village chairman and neighbour to the Leon family says that there was a history of conflict between Leon’s family and the deceased.

Voice of: Former Chairman, Steadfast Village

“This lady used to come dah di village yah because ih mi do out with Mister Leon, man weh dehn call “Washer.” Jorge Leon, ih nickname dah “Washer.”  He mi di go out with she; cause he have ih wife, but he mi di go out with she as a sweetheart. But one day, di lady reach back in the village come look fi Mister Jorge. Miss Julia Milian. When she come dah di village, Jorge wife and daughter and a whole kit ah dehn attack the lady and the lady end up injuring the daughter, one ah dehn cause she mi di defend ihself.”

Reporter

“When this happen?”

Voice of: Former Chairman

“This happen about maybe a month ago, I noh sure. Maybe a month ago. And she was going to court with them people cause dehn mi di ker ahn dah court fi what she do.”

Police are looking at all angles, but evidence so far implicates Jorge Leon.

ACP Joseph Myvett

“We are aware that during the course of the investigation, there seem to have been a relationship between the two. We also know that the deceased had a matter before the court, in relation to an injury caused to one of Leon’s daughters. So that is an angle also being looked at during the course of the investigation.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir has the police found that there is a history of conflict between Leon’s family and the deceased?

ACP Joseph Myvett

“Yes we are being made aware of that and hence the reason why they was an ongoing court matter in relation of the two sides.”

Andrea Polanco

“Is it believed that Leon acted alone in this instance?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“At this point, we don’t have evidence to suggest otherwise, but the investigation is still ongoing and in its early stages.”

Duane Moody for News Five.