Loggers Discover Human Remains in Maskall

There is what appears to be a murder to report in the community of Maskall on the old Northern Highway, but there is precious little information at this time. What we know so far is that loggers found the bones and alerted the police. The police recovered scattered bones in a remote area of the community but the identity of the person remains unknown. The discovery was made on Thursday and on Friday. Police processed the scene, accompanied by medical examiner Mario Estradabran. Mike Rudon was on the scene and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

The scattered bones, allegedly of a large male, were found just off the road which connects Maskall in the Belize District to Santa Marta in the Orange Walk District – about three miles outside of Maskall to be exact. The area is used by loggers, and we are told it is they who found the bones and reported it to the Forest Department, which in turn called the Police. Medical Examiner Dr. Estradabran, accompanied by Ladyville Police arrived at twelve-thirty. They then headed to the scene, located about two hundred feet off the road.

Douglas Hyde

Via Phone: Douglas Hyde, Public Relations Coordinator – Eastern Division

“Human bones were found half mile form Maruba resort about one hundred feet off the road where garbage is thrown. The body seems to be partially burnt. Dr. Estradaban has done a post-mortem on the human bones and the results are inconclusive. The result has indicated that it has been there a little bit over a year.”

The processing of the scene took a little over two hours, as Police collected the bones which we are told were scattered, presumably by animals. They searched the area thoroughly, measured off the scene, collected trace evidence, and emerged with the bones in large plastic bags. While we could not get official confirmation, we are told that cable wire was found near the bones, and there is some speculation that the victim was tied up, and then burned, either pre or post-mortem. A machete was also found on the scene, though again we could not confirm that officially.

Douglas Hyde

“Based on Dr. Estrdaban saying that it is inconclusive, we’ve basically with recent missing persons we have called in person because we understand it is not just the bones there was clotting there. Based on that they came in to identify more or less if it looks or match the missing persons that have been reported recently. Sao persons over the last could weeks and months that have been reported missing within that area has been called in to identify with the remains and stuff. So far he has not been recognized. It has not been identified with any of the person that have been missing over the past couple weeks or months.”

Unofficially, we were told that the bones seem to be those of a very large male person who was fitted with high-quality dentures.

Police are asking persons with information about missing persons in the Belize and Orange Walk Districts to contact the Ladyville Police Station, as efforts continue to identify the remains by the small pieces of tattered clothing found nearby. Mike Rudon reporting for News Five.