Body Found in Lamanai Lagoon

On the Phone: Insp. Nicholas Palomo

There is a second murder to report. At news time tonight Orange Walk Police are at a site on the Lamanai Lagoon in the community of Indian Church, south of Orange Walk Town. This morning they were called in after villagers made the grisly discovery of a corpse floating in the lagoon. The body was in two separate pieces, which could be the work of crocodiles, but Police know it is a murder because both hands and feet of the male person were tied and there were wounds to the head. News Five spoke to Deputy Commander Inspector Nicholas Palomo via phone, at the scene where the body was discovered.

Via phone: Inspector Nicholas Palomo, Deputy Commander, Orange Walk Police

“At 10:45 on today’s date Orange Walk Police were called out to the Lamanai Lagoon located in Indian Church Village, Orange Walk District. Upon Police’s arrival at the lagoon they saw a body floating. The body was already cut in half, probably by predators. The body seemed to have bruises to the head like fractures. Also both hands were tied with a yellow rope. As we speak right now the doctor is conducting a post-mortem examination on the site. We don’t have any identification of the person. We are trying to ask the villagers or the neighboring communities if there is anybody missing if they can please report it or proceed to the nearest Police Station.”

Reporter

“From what you have been able to see of the body are there any marks which could be useful in identifying him?”

Via phone: Inspector Nicholas Palomo

“No, we cannot see any marks right now. We can only see the torso down and from the chest up. The rest has probably been eaten by predators.”

While Palomo was able to say that it appeared the body had been immersed in water for some time, an approximate time of death will only be determined after the post-mortem examination is concluded.