Double Murder in Valley of Peace

It was a three day weekend and as many murders took place. We begin with a double murder in the most unexpected place. Early Saturday morning two men who not only worked together but who camped out together as employer and employee in Valley of Peace were found hacked to death. The weapon of choice appears to be a machete that has still not been found nor has the motive been determined. News Five’s Marion Ali went in search of answers.

On Saturday morning residents of Valley of Peace were stunned to learn that two farmers from the village had been brutally murdered in the village. The gruesome incident occurred at this small wooden structure on Calle Sinley Street, the home of forty nine year old Miguel Mendoza, a farmer in the community. Police believe Mendoza and his farm hand, thirty-six year old Luis Medina were asleep inside the hut when someone entered and killed them just past midnight on Saturday.

Sergeant Ismael Westby, O.C., C.I.B., Belmopan
“One of the bodies was on a bed lying face up with injuries to the face and the other one lying to the ground beside another bed that was in the house. We did not find any weapons. We have interviewed a few people who we believe can give us some information. As far as we’re concerned we have nothing more than just that.

Marion Ali
“Locals have told us that, a relative of Mister Luis Medina was just recently involved in an altercation with him over a love triangle. Are you looking into this?”

Sergeant Ismael Westby
“Actually we have looked upon that part of the investigation and we have found that yes, there was a precious incident between Mister Mendoza and a brother, but so far we believe that nothing with what happened before has to do with this incident.”

Mendoza’s cousin, Rudolph Williams, discovered the men’s bodies shortly after seven on Saturday morning when another relative from Belmopan went looking for Medina at his house and could not locate him.

Rudolph Williams, Discovered Murdered Men
“Ah tell ah di man deh da ih house yondah. The man seh no he done gone deh and come back. And dat da when he come and I seh ih only cud deh dah Mike yah. Dat dah when I gone and tap the door slowly then afterwards, I touch it like dat and di door fly back. Dat dah when I gone in, I see weh I see, then I swing right back.”

Marion Ali
“What did you see?”

Rudolph Williams
“I see one pan di ground and one pan di bed—I see blood.”

But while police had no answers of why anyone wanted both men dead, Mendoza’s sister, Linda Orellano, had one theory.

Linda Orellano, Sister of Miguel Mendoza
“Dah back deh he live.”

Marion Ali
“So when he did not come home this weekend, did you think anything strange or weird of it?”

Linda Orellano
“No, because for like three weeks now ih noh come because ih di plant right. Ih di plant up ih vegetables—beans, corn rice—and I noh see ahn like three weeks.”

Marion Ali
“But you were close to him. Did he tell you whether anyone was harassing him or threatening him?”

Linda Orellano
“I noh know if dah fi ih land, you know. Cah ih got problem wid ih land back deh. Ih mi gat people di work pan ih land and they tek ih land from ahn.”

Marion Ali
“Squat on it?”

Linda Orellano
“Mhmm. yeah, yeah.”

Marion Ali
“And he knew these people?”

Linda Orellano
“Yeah ih mi know they. Mhmm, employees.”

Police are also looking into the possibility that the murderer or murderers stayed in the same hut with the victims, as evidence of a third sleeping area was reportedly found inside the hut. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.