Taxi driver murdered, body found at Vista del Mar
While the public will be watching the new Commissioner of Police closely, hoping he can do more to bring crime under control, over the weekend another Belize City man was killed. Who murdered Philip Pou and why? At the moment, no one has any answers, least of all his family.
Everyday fifty-year-old Philip Pou parked his white Crown Victoria taxi at the corner of Handyside and Queen Streets to serve both Belizeans and tourists. Today family and friends are trying to find out who would want to murder a man everyone agrees was friendly and industrious.
Omenzia Garbutt, Sister
“My brother, he was the most wonderful person; he was kind, helpful to everyone. He tries to help everybody.”
Pou’s partially decomposed body was found around one on Saturday afternoon in a clump of bushes in a popular swimming area at the end of a feeder road in Vista del Mar. The man who found the body did not wish to appear on camera.
Man who discovered body
“I was just going to swim with my dog and accidentally when I was passing with the dog and I see the body lying in the bush there. From there I just decided to call the policeman and I told him I saw a body like somebody dead in the bush.”
The discovery comes one day after Pou was reported missing by Augustina Reyes, his common-law-wife. Reyes says the last time she saw Pou was around eight thirty Friday morning when he kissed her goodbye and dropped her at work. A very distraught Reyes did not appear on camera but said when he did not return home that night and a friend called to inquire about him, she became extremely worried.
Augustina Reyes, Common-Law-Wife
“After six thirty, after I get that call from that man and ask me the last time Philip ring and I start to look all over for him. I even called him on his cellular and he never did answer.”
Police found the cellular phone by Pou’s body. His wallet and personal belongings were there too. Dr. Mario Estradabran, the police pathologist says there was a single gunshot wound to the right temple and he believes Pou was killed the same day he disappeared. The family wants answers.
Omenzia Garbutt
“We need some information, that we have a continuing investigation. Someone is responsible plus we know a car is missing, a gun is missing, whatever. And we need to locate, at least the police need to find out what’s going on. We don’t believe in vengeance but justice is justice and we need something done.”
Inspector Mario Vernon, Head of C.I.B. says they have since recovered Pou’s vehicle. The car, which was probably used as a getaway vehicle for the killer or killers, was abandoned at mile five and a half on the Western Highway. Vernon says they have yet to establish a motive for the killing, but are interviewing a number of people.
