Search for Julio Requena Jr. called off

Today the search for skipper Julio Requena Junior was called off by his family. Requena is the only person that remains missing after the family’s boat, Mariestela, was hijacked and 5 of its 12 occupants murdered. On Tuesday, May 30th, the boat was on its way back to Punta Gorda after picking up 8 passengers in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. However 20 minutes into their journey, 3 men who boarded the boat as passengers and believed to be Guatemalans, opened fire on the boat’s captain, Ernesto Requena and his nephew, Julio Jr. The other passengers were either thrown overboard or jumped into the sea to escape. So far the motive behind the incident remains a mystery and there has been no sightings of either the boat or the killers. The Requena family has scheduled a memorial service for their loved one on Saturday. Meanwhile, Punta Gorda Police say their investigation will continue.