Investigation into Double Murder Continues

Quentin Espinosa

In respect of a double murder in Hopkins, police say that they don’t have a clear motive or suspects for the homicide that happened on Friday morning.  At this time, cops are following several leads which involve persons from outside of the village, but there’s no breakthrough in the case as yet.  There is speculation, however, that it is related to a land dispute.  As we reported on Friday, an American national and a Belizean man were shot and killed on a farm in that southern community.  Today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvett shared the details of the crime that police began to investigate around nine-thirty last Friday when they were called out to the farm.

Joseph Myvett

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“Upon arrival they observed the body of a dark complexion male with apparent gunshot injuries. He was later identified as Quentin Espinosa, fifty-five-years-old of Hopkins. Further searches within the area led to the discovery of another male person later identified as Rowland Burley, seventy-years-old US national who resides at that address. He was also observed with gunshot injuries. From the investigation so far, the police know that sometime around six-thirty a.m. on the said morning, shots were heard in that area and then some ten minutes later a number of other shots were heard. As a result, an employee of the farm visited the area looking for Mr. Burley and when he didn’t locate him he went to report the matter to another person who then gathered a search party and that is when they came across the discovery of the first body and the police was alerted. At this point in time we do not have a clear motive as to what would have caused this to happen but we are following several leads.”

Reporter

“Was there any known relationship between the two deceased?”

Rowland Burley

ACP Joseph Myvett

“The two deceased were very good friends from what I was informed and they have farms, neighboring farms beside each other.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir, have you gathered any information that it may be a land dispute?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“That was told to us but that is a part of the investigation at this time.”

Police say that some items were missing from the property. At this time, information suggests two persons may have been involved in this double murder.