Elderly Man Murdered at Home; One of Several Sons Detained
Daniel Orlando Castellanos
Many families choose to live with their elders with the notion that it is safer and more convenient for them, especially when the time comes that their parents need to rely on them more, as they approach their twilight years. But on Saturday, the unthinkable happened in Belmopan when a large family could not protect their elderly father from violence, and one of them would end up in police custody pending a charge for the murder of his father. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story in this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
A seventy-nine-year-old man was shot dead inside his house on Garza Street in Belmopan in the wee hours of Saturday.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Director of Communications, Belize Police Department
“Belmopan police responded to a report on the twenty-first of May at number Garza Street. They found the lifeless body of Daniel Orlando Castellanos, seventy-nine years [old]. Initial investigations revealed that a male person entered the house and fired several shots at Mr. Castellanos, causing his fatal injury.”
Shortly after the gunshots rang out, Police held one of Castellanos’ sons as their prime suspect. But, they soon changed their position on this decision, primarily because no one saw that person fire the fatal shots and also because there are a number of residents at that house.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
“There are about ten residents in that home and working with those statements – and after seeking advice from the D.P.P. office, our investigators were instructed to do a more in-depth investigation. Before levying any charges, we want to be absolutely certain that we have the person who is responsible.”
Director of Communications for the Belize Police Department, ASP Fitzroy Yearwood explained that the deceased’s son who was detained would be released. But while police had that son in custody, one of his brothers, Luis Castellanos told reporters that the family is reluctant to accept that their brother was the trigger man. Prior to the fatal shooting, there was an argument between the man detained and his girlfriend, but Castellanos said that ended without incident.
Luis Castellanos
Luis Castellanos, Son of the Deceased
“Two gunshot ring off and I nuh see da who do it. We just get information that da one ah my bredda dehn but then we get wa next information dat dah nuh he, soh we nuh know weh fi believe. But when I come out from my room I see my pa pahn the ground eena wa pool ah blood. When I come outside when I see my pa deh I neva see my bredda. I neva know his whereabouts, I nuh know if ih mi di drink, I nuh know.”
Up to news time, police were still taking statements and conducting their investigation.
Marion Ali for News Five.
