Another Camalote Resident is Arraigned for the Murder of Ofelia Cruz in Salt Creek, Sand Hill

Julian Torres

A second person has been charged for the murder of Mexican national Ofelia Cruz. The sixty-nine-year-old woman was bludgeoned to death inside her house in the Salt Creek area of Sand Hill Village. In late August, eighteen-year-old Camalote resident Derry Bennett was charged and remanded to central prison for the murder. Late this evening, in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, after months of evading the arms of the police, twenty-year-old Julian Torres was arraigned for the murder. No plea was taken and he was remanded to central prison. He is to return to court on October twenty-fifth. Torres limped to the courtroom, claiming that he had been shot by police. Earlier today at the police headquarters in Belmopan, Senior Superintendent Hilberto Romero explained that the suspect, also from Camalote Village in the Cayo District, was nabbed over the weekend after numerous searches to locate him.

Hilberto Romero

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“In reference to the murder of Ofelia Cruz which occurred on the thirteenth day of August 2019, yesterday, police arrested and charged Julian Torres for the crime of murder. Prior to that arrest a minor had been charged so this is the second person that has been charged for this murder, which occurred in the area of Sand Hill.”

Duane Moody

“Without going into the details, sir can you tell us why it took so long to charge this second person? Why the delay?”

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero

“Well this person was wanted for this murder from then, but he had eluded police. Several searches and checks were done for him in the Cayo area and it was not until this weekend that he was found.”

Cruz was reportedly struck over the head with a hammer during the home invasion in which the two men were said to have been looking for her husband’s firearm.