Family of victim disputes finding of suicide
He was no stranger to the public, as a New Year’s Eve altercation with security men at the Princess Hotel was headline news in the media. But tonight twenty-two-year-old Eder Alamilla is dead, the victim of what appears to be a suicide by gunshot as he sat in his car near the unfinished St. Anthony’s Trading Company on Princess Margaret Drive. But there are enough unanswered questions to require a thorough police investigation, questions that the victim’s family want to see answered.
Tania Mahler, Sister of Deceased
?I do not and the family does not, listen to me, does not believe that he did this. So who so ever did this, please come forward, if not you know what will happen, God will punish you. You are not supposed to take nobody?s life. You took an innocent life from the family.?
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Today, the Alamilla family is in great pain over the tragic loss of their son and brother twenty-two-year-old Eder Alamilla. Around three thirty on Saturday morning, Alamilla was found inside his blue Toyota Corolla, slumped over the driver?s wheel. There was a bullet wound just above the ear to the back of the head. Eder?s sister Tania Mahler, says the family believes it was a cold blooded murder. According to Mahler, an unidentified female companion, who was with her brother that night could answer a number of questions. The couple had allegedly just bought food nearby at Eden?s Club.
Tania Mahler
?Yes, they said that he was with someone in the vehicle. We do not know anything, the police have not contact us, they did not tell us anything. But from people who were out there, who saw him with a young lady. So that?s all we know. We do not know anything else from that.?
Inside the vehicle police say they found a thirty-eight revolver with five live rounds and one expended shell in the chamber. However the family claims that Alamilla did not own such a weapon and that he did not like guns.
Tania Mahler
?He did not own a gun; he doesn?t own a gun. He doesn?t want a gun because he doesn?t like guns.?
Authorities say until the post-mortem results state otherwise they are treating the case as a possible suicide. The family contends that their loved one, who enjoys painting, had many reasons to live.
Tania Mahler
?Saturday as a matter of fact we were going to Belmopan all day for a family wedding. Sunday was my daughter?s birthday and he promised he was going to come over for breakfast, lunch and dinner as usual because that?s our family thing. We always spend breakfast, lunch and dinner whoever birthday it is and the following week is another family wedding and we just called from my sister that my nephew is doing good, he has a brain tumour and he is doing excellent and she was coming back in May for a month. So we are planning this big party for him.?
However Mahler admits that recently her brother had become scared for his life and expressed concern to family members that he believes he was being followed. This came after he had lodged a complaint against the manager and security personnel at the Princess Hotel and Casino. Alamilla, in a televised interview with News Five, stated that he was attacked and beaten unconscious. He had suffered several facial fractures.
Tania Mahler
?There was no reason for Eder to do this. He had his life in order Eder, I don?t know how to explain. No reason for Eder to do this. Yes, he was scared of the people from Princess because he came to my house and told me, Tania, I believe that someone is following me.?
On Wednesday, Eder Alamilla will be laid to rest following a service at St. Joseph Church. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
This evening a post-mortem was conducted and the results reveal that the injuries Alamilla sustained are consistent with suicide. News 5 was informed, however, that the police will continue to investigate. Alamilla was scheduled to graduate from S.J.C. Junior College in May. The family says that his girlfriend, Mikaela Donchev, has told them that the last time she saw Alamilla was around two forty-five that morning. She reportedly told the family that they were playing a game of truth and dare and Alamilla got upset and left her house, but that he returned and grabbed a number of photographs they had taken together and then left. A friend of Alamilla confirmed that he came to his house with some pictures and told him that his relationship with Donchev was over. Another witness told the family that between ten and fifteen minutes before the shooting incident Alamilla was seen in the company of a woman inside the car when he stopped and bought two plates of food in the Newtown Barracks area. Meanwhile, Michael Peyrefitte, the Alamilla family attorney, has told News 5 that a writ of purpose was suppose to have been filed today in the Supreme Court concerning the January incident with the Princess Hotel and Casino.