Teenager Brutally Stabbed in Mahogany Heights
Jasmine Petillo
A gruesome discovery was made this morning in Mahogany Heights. The body of a young woman stabbed multiple times was found in a ditch behind the village, a short distance from her house. The seventeen year old minor was apparently killed somewhere else and dumped in the ditch and no one knows by whom or why. Jasmine Petillo was last seen socializing on Tuesday evening at a friend’s house, but by today, she was dead. As the small community reels from the murder, police are investigating. News Five’s Duane Moody speaks with her grandmother and aunt.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Just after ten this morning, the partially nude body of a female was discovered in a ditch to the back of the Mahogany Heights Community off mile thirty on the George Price Highway. The young woman was stabbed multiple times to her body and from all indications, she was killed elsewhere, placed in a sheet and then dumped a stone’s throw from where she lived in the village.
ASP Rochelle Chan, O.C., Hattieville Police
“What we can see is that the person in question suffered multiple stab wounds, all over the body. We are presently processing the scene, I cannot speculate as to what transpired or what has occurred, however, more information will be forwarded to you guys. The police was alerted by a concerned citizen that they saw what appeared to be a human body. He responded to the scene where he discovered a female halfly undressed and apparently with multiple stab wounds. The female has not been identified. There are rumors that it might be a person but we are yet to confirm.”
Rochelle Chan
Reporter
“Do you believe that the person lying there was killed on that spot or was taken there?”
ASP Rochelle Chan
“Indications may be that the body might have been brought to the scene.”
An hour later, the body would be identified as that of seventeen year old Jasmine Petillo, a well-known resident of the community and daughter of a Special Constable attached to the Tourism Police Unit of Belize Department. It was the most heart-wrenching news that any mother could receive and the family remains in shock. Her grandmother believes that an enraged monster took the life of their loved one.
Judith Petillo
Judith Petillo, Grandmother of Murder Victim
“Dehn say dehn find jasmine dead and from there I start to cry. I can’t even talk again. I don’t know weh really happen or where they find Jasmine and weh dehn do to jasmine. But whosoever do it, the good lord see and the watch and knows weh happen and dehn wah pay. I don’t know why deh do mi granddaughter. My granddaughter dah wah loving granddaughter fo mine. I mi always say that whenever I get sick or something happen to me, dah she wah mind we and take care of me. And dehn kill mi baby from me man. Why dehn do me that fah? Why? Why? Why? Why dehn o me that fah? Why?”
And that remains the million dollar question…why would anyone so viciously take the life of the female minor? According to her aunt, Sherlette Gabourel, Jasmine never complained of her life being threatened.
Sherlette Gabourel
Sherlette Gabourel, Aunt of Murder Victim
“We know nothing of anybody di threaten her or anything. But I gone see my nice this morning and dehn stab up my niece mien…lotta stab. Who so cruel to do dehn kinda thing like that, mien?”
Duane Moody
“Do you think it was something personal?”
Sherlette Gabourel
“Like I say, we have no idea. We know nothing but we left everything to god. God noh di sleep; he sees and knows. But my niece get lot of stab, lot. We can’t even count the amount of stabs she get.”
The murder of Jasmine has left the community in shock. She was well known in the village as one of the band leaders of the Mahogany Heights Dream Marching Band.
Edna Mae Garbutt, Owner, Mahogany Heights Dream Marching Band
“I know Jasmine from she dah baby. But she’s in my band four years now. She was here day before yesterday and whole of last week preparing of the band because we want have like acting, dancing and then their parents will come.”
Edna Mae Garbutt
Duane Moody
“What type of person was she?”
Edna Mae Garbutt
“She like to smile, she loved to dance, but nobody wah chance ahn.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
