Sixteen year old murdered at Cayo bar

While the death of Kevin Francis is still unresolved, in San Ignacio, the death of another minor has been determined a case of murder. The sixteen year old was partying at a local bar when he was fatally stabbed with a small knife. Duane Moody has this report from San Ignacio where one person was charged today for Sunday morning’s homicide.

Duane Moody, Reporting
This is the person San Ignacio Police has nabbed for this weekend’s fatal stabbing of Gilberto Novelo of Santa Elena. And as nineteen year old Freddy Fernandez was being whisked off to the Hattieville Prison, family and friends gathered in front of the police station. According to Senior Superintendent Paul Wade, Fernandez was one of six persons who were detained for the murder, which appears to have been caused by rivalry.

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade, O.C. San Ignacio Police
“So far the police have arrested and charged Freddy Fernandez, nineteen years old, of San Ignacio Town. We charged him with the crime of Murder. In carrying out our investigations initially, all of them were detained. However, based on the evidence that we had, Mr. Fernandez was the one who is responsible for causing the death of Mr. Novelo and he has been charged after consultation with a representative from the D.P.P.’s office. At around two-oh-five Sunday morning police responded to a report of a stabbing incident that reportedly had occurred at the Faya Wata Night Club. Upon arrival at the San Ignacio Town Hospital, the emergency section, police saw Gilbert Novelo, sixteen years old youth of Santa Elena Town, suffering from a stab wound to the lower abdomen. He was transported to the Western Regional Hospital where he succumbed to that injury around four a.m. the same day. There had always been some problem from people over in San Ignacio and so that young group from Santa Elena Town.”

According to Wade, the weapon used was a small steak knife which penetrated Novelo’s lower left abdomen. Novelo was socializing at the Faya Wata Bar & Grill, a Night Club, when a quarrel between the deceased and a group of friends led to his demise. A saddened aunt and guardian, Nora Sierra, told News Five that Novelo’s murder was senseless.

Nora Sierra, Aunt of Deceased
“The day that he left from home, four-thirty the evening
and he sat right on that chair and he said, Tia I really want to go out would you give me permission to go. I said man Gilly what you want to go do out there? Your mama might call any minute. I will talk to her, ih seh give me permission. I said okay, you go but remember the time that you have to come home. He took off and he went on the bike and I said oh he won’t take long because he is taking the bike and the bike belongs to his uncle so he won’t take long, he will be back soon. And I waited for him until I heard somebody calling at my gate that they said they stabbed him and I went to see him. I thought I would see him alive, but when I get to the hospital in Belmopan, to my surprise I saw him at the morgue.”

Sierra is calling on authorities to ensure that minors are not allowed in clubs and bars. Senior Superintendent Wade says that the department is working at this.

Sr. Supt. Paul Wade
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed holistically by many different agencies. We, the police, have to continue to do what we’re doing because we have been tightening up over the last several weeks on some of these establishments. I am aware that several of them have been summoned to appear in court for opening after hours. So we need to continue to do that and make sure that they comply with the liquor licenses act.”

Duane Moody reporting for News Five.