Feud in Cayo leaves one dead, four wounded

One man is dead and four others are injured as the twin town of Santa Elena, Cayo, was the scene of a family feud gone violent. The shootings took place on Saturday night and today I went West looking for answers.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
According to Yolanda Echeverria her brothers, seventeen year old Marvin, twenty-five year old Ruben, and twenty-nine year old Myro had gone to the Galindo residence to find out why members of that family were threatening her younger brother. But sometime after the three young men arrived at the location, Marvin was shot in the back and right leg and died at the scene. A very distraught Yolanda maintained that her brothers did not go looking for trouble.

Yolanda Echeverria, Sister of Murder Victim
“They went to check what was really happening, but then they [the Galindos] got violent and they just start shooting and shooting, shooting and shooting.”

But the Galindo family claims it was the Echeverria brothers who got violent when they and a number of other angry young men stormed onto the property looking for David and Jorge Galindo. This woman, who did not wish to appear on camera, says it all happened very fast.

Voice of Witness
“I see the crowd come in, but I never expect they come for fight or something.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Were they armed?”

Voice of Witness
“Yes, with gun and knife.”

The woman claims the group started throwing stones at the building breaking glass window panes.

Voice of Witness
“We get frightened when we see them with gun, you see. We noh know weh part fi goh, fi run, we di hide.”

Then during the commotion a gunshot rang out fatally wounding young Marvin, but police are not sure who actually fired the shot. The victim’s family claim their loved one was killed by someone at the Galindos residence. The Galindo’s believe the young man was killed by a bullet fired from one of his own brother’s gun. While the Galindos claim the shot was fired from the street side into their yard, the Echeverria’s claim it came from upstairs of the Galindo’s residence.

Yolanda Echeverria
“None of them Miss Jackie, none of them were armed. I can assure that none of them had no firearm.”

Both Rueben and Myro Echeverria also received gunshot wounds to their left toe and right shoulder respecting. Four hours later, the police dispatched a group to the crime scene on Perez Street to see if they could find any expended shells. But no sooner had the two police officers and a Scenes of Crime technician started working when they too came under fire. Scenes of Crime technician Filiberto Pott, who was hit in the lower back, was reportedly in the backyard when he heard several gunshots.

Filiberto Pott, Technician, Scenes of crime
“It was dark area and then suddenly somebody appeared, fired shots, I felt a burning sensation and fell to the ground.”

Pott managed to make in inside the Galindos residence where he immediately
called for assistance. Witnesses told News Five the cops were fired upon by three gunmen who were in an adjacent yard. Because at the time the police were all in civilian clothing, Pott says he does not believe the shooters realised that they were law enforcement officers.

Filiberto Pott
“Because the person die from gunshot, so we’re trying to locate any expended shells or any blood at the scene. I think that the murders just happen and I think that person came for revenge at that time that he arrive, so I think he confused himself.”

One of the bullets injured Pott’s lungs and he remains in a serious condition at the Western Regional Hospital, while Sergeant Enrique Aldana and police Constable Roland Augustine received only minor grazes to their leg.

Today, Police Commissioner Gerald Westby and Head of National Crimes Investigation Branch, Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno, visited Pott and also took time out to speak with the media at the hospital.

Gerald Westby, Police Commissioner
“The area was dark and it would appear that some of these guys came back and went from the back fence, from the back portion of the fence and fired indiscriminately in the yard where these persons where. Certainly we need to look at the security of these scenes more and delineation and other aspects when people go and visit these scenes, so we certainly will be looking at that following this incident.”

According to the police, they have taken into custody the Echeverria and Galindo brothers. According to Magdaleno, initial investigations suggest the incident may be the result of a long-standing dispute between both families, but it appears that the Echeverria brothers may have instigated trouble when they illegally entered the Galindo property.

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno, Head, National Crime Investigation branch
“The Galindo family is in an enclosed yard and they went through the gate, forcefully went through the gate and chased the Galindo brothers. According to the investigation so far, the firearm was brandished to the back of the yard and there was a squabble to the back of the yard with the Galindo brothers and the Echeverria brothers. During that process the sound of a firearm went off. According to one of the witnesses, they saw the firearm with one of the Echeverria brothers.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Who shot Marvin?”

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno
“We can’t saw that at this time because we are not sure. We are investigating and as soon as that investigation is through and we are going to send the file to the D.P.P., but we are not sure yet who shot Marvin. … Those people and the crowd that was in front of the house, nobody could have seen anything because everything happened within the confines of the yard and to the back. So it was only the three brothers, including the one that died, and David Galindo; they were the only people to the back of the house who can give account of what took place.”

Meanwhile, Magdaleno says he does not know if Ruben Echevrrria accidentally shot himself as he was assisting his wounded younger brother outside of the compound, but that is when he got hit in the foot. Magdaleno says it is at this time that another man and friend of the Galindo brothers, Justin Gordon, was brutally attacked as he approached the residence.

Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno
“When they took out the brother outside of the yard on the street, this guy Justin Gordon was approaching the house of the Galindos when the crowd outside said he is one of them and they stabbed Justin Gordon just outside on the street”

Gordon’s injuries are not considered life threatening. According to Magdaleno, they are also trying to determine whether or not the dispute is linked to a stabbing incident in which the victim, Greg Garcia—reportedly a friend of the Echeverria brothers—was stabbed by one of the Galindo brothers who was arrested and charged for the crime. Today, Marvin Echeverria would have celebrated his eighteenth birthday.

San Ignacio police have detained eleven people in connection with the incident. Late this evening the police informed News Five that they have arrested twenty-five year old Ruben Echeverria and charged him for the crimes of Attempted Murder, Dangerous Harm and Use of Deadly Means of Harm.