Family Mourns Death of Rudy Morales
Rudy Morales
The Morales family of San Ignacio is grieving the untimely death of one of their own. The nineteen-year-old went missing over the weekend and on Monday afternoon; the family’s worst fears were confirmed. Rudy was found dead and his body was retrieved from the Mopan River. There were reports that he had been spotted along the border area, but unfortunately Rudy lost his life to drowning. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today, words of condolences continue to pour out to the family of Rudy Morales, who remain in disbelief that the teenager is no longer with them. The nineteen-year-old construction worker of the Kontiki area of San Ignacio was found dead in the Mopan River on Monday afternoon two days after he left home on Saturday to attend a fair in Benque Viejo Del Carmen.
Nehemias Canto, Brother in law of Deceased
“He went Saturday night for a fair at Benque and from there he went missing. We didn’t see him this whole weekend. We began searching Sunday, the whole day and yesterday, Monday also the whole day and nothing. We had no information. We went to Arenal, Benque, San Ignacio and nowhere.”
On Monday morning, however, information to the family and the police was that Morales was spotted on the Belize side of Arenal, Cayo. Checks were made, but there was no sign of him.
Nehemias Canto
Nehemias Canto
“They told us that they saw him at Benque with two bwai going to Melchor and they told us that he come back, but we didn’t confirm nothing about that.”
Reporter
“When did they see him with these guys?”
Nehemias Canto
“Saturday night.”
Joseph Myvett
ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch [File: April 1st, 2019]
“We had followed several leads and today we learnt that he was in Arenal Belize, but on police arrival, they were able to confirm that he was there, but had left there sometime this morning. We also spoke to the family who confirmed that someone communicated with them by phone that yes indeed he was in Arenal. So we are still following on this information to see whether or not he will arrive home.”
Hours later, a body was seen floating in the river and its description fit that of Morales. According to family they got the call around three o’clock; a post-mortem has revealed that he drowned.
Nehemias Canto
“They called our family and said they found a body almost by the border on the river. And they said that it is the same identification as we gave the police and everything because he had a tattoo on his left hand. We gone and identify him at the San Ignacio western hospital. From my part, I noh hear no complaint from him. He just go and work; sometime he get drunk but he go and come home at night.”
Duane Moody
“What are the police saying was the cause of death?”
Nehemias Canto
“The police give an information yesterday that he drown. He was trying to fight against the water to come out, but looks like he didn’t make it.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
