Police look to charge a Benque resident for murder of Canadian national

Brian Townsend

Canadian Brian Townsend was murdered at Christmas in the Valley of Peace community in the Cayo District. It was a sensational crime, more so because within a matter of weeks two men suspected in the murder also died violently. Brothers Raul Balona and Marlon Flores were killed, but Police found another suspect in early February. The nineteen year old Benque Viejo resident allegedly implicated both dead men in two murders in Valley of Peace around the same time. He’s been locked down since then, remanded on a committal warrant for another matter while Police investigate. But that unnamed man is one step closer to being charged for murder, with the emergence of new evidence. Today Superintendent Howell Gillett told us that the suspect’s fate will now rest in the hands of the D.P.P.

Supt. Howell Gillett, Officer Commanding, Belmopan Police

“There were three suspects. Two of them died before the investigation was completed. The third suspect…just yesterday we got new information in the form of statements, and those statements today will be sent to the D.P.P.’s office for advice. Following that advice from the D.P.P. we will move on from there. We are very hopeful, and like I said before, any loss of life is very tragic to us and we will get to the bottom of it. No stone will be left unturned and that is why we are coming up with this new information.”

Reporter

Howell Gillett

“Now with these additional statements, have you all learned what was the motive in those murders?”

Supt. Howell Gillett

“We suspect that we have a motive but it’s still unclear and I wouldn’t want to give the full details of it until we get some advice on it…but as soon as we get advice on it the media will be informed.”

Townsend’s body was discovered far from the Valley of Peace community, on the border with Guatemala near Arenal. He was found by Guatemalan authorities who buried him as a John Doe, but he was later identified through pictures.