Roaring Creek man killed in bizarre attack
Jermaine Fuentes is not being fingered as the shooter, but he was definitely a friend of the latest murder victim. Early this morning in Roaring Creek, a young man was fatally shot after his attackers tried to burn down his house. Jacqueline Woods went west today and found more questions than answers.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Bloodstains can still be seen on the steps where twenty-four year old Derry Bennett was shot in the rear of his house. At the time he was gunned down, Bennett and his common law wife, Maria Torres, were running for safety after someone threw kerosene at their front door and started a fire.
Maria Torres, Common Law Wife
“Two of us were sleeping and he see the fire when he wake. And usually when he wake, I get up too. He wake and knock me on my leg and say, “Babes, fire, the house di ketch fire.” Two of us came out and we see the front the ketch fire. And after that, I asked him what to do because I was so frightened. But he no answer me, he just gone directly and open the back door and holler some obscene language and that’s when they fired the shots at him.
Jacqueline Woods
“So he knew who shot him.”
Marie Torres
“He knew who shot him yes. He see the person, but he never did tell me nothing. I mi deh right next to him and I never see the person.”
Jacqueline Woods
“After he got shot, was he able to talk to you?”
Maria Torres
“No, he never say a word. He mi di try, but he never bring out nothing.”
Torres says a short time after, Bennett died in her arms. The police believe the shooter gained access to Bennett’s yard by jumping a back fence.
Jacqueline Woods
“According to authorities Derry Bennett was no stranger to them. At the time of his murder, Bennett had several charges against him pending before the courts. Police say although Bennett was an associate of Jermaine Fuentes Depaz, the most wanted man in Belize, they do not suspect Fuentes is involved in this latest killing.”
According to Bennett’s grandfather, John Smith, they do not know who killed his grandson, but Bennett had told them that someone was constantly threatening him.
John Smith, Grandfather
“That is what he always say, that they di threaten him, but he never mention dah who. And my son just left from ya tell me the same thing, that ih di work with he dah Belmopan and everyday ih go and he say that somebody di threaten ah wah kill ah. But he never did mention dah who.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Was there an incident where somebody almost ran over him?”
John Smith
“Well, yes. He said he was going along a back road and a boy in a vehicle mek to knock him down off his bike. He jumped off his bike and left the bike and the boy run over the bike. But he never did tell me again dah who.”
Police say at this time they do not have a motive for the murder, but are looking for two suspects. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
News 5 understands the murder weapon has been identified as a twelve-gauge pump action shotgun. Late tonight, we’ve been informed that police now believe Bennett may have been shot in retaliation for the series of murders in Belmopan and Belize City because of his friendship with Fuentes.
