One Step Closer to Closure in Ramon Cervantes’ Death

Ramon ‘Monchi’ Cervantes Jr.

It has been almost eight years since Ramon Cervantes Senior was killed in the Honey Camp area of Orange Walk District. The murder of the seventy-one-year-old in July 2014 devastated his family, including his son, Orange Walk North Area Representative Ramon ‘Monchi’ Cervantes Junior. The elderly man was found in a shallow grave in an area not far from Honey Camp and four men were subsequently sought by police for his murder. One of those men is still a fugitive of the law, having fled the country in the wake of the incident. The other three: Noe Avila, Angel Cardenas and Mateo Pott Junior appeared before the Supreme Court earlier this week where, in a surprising turn of events, Avila pleaded guilty to murder. His accomplices pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.  Earlier today, we spoke with Minister of State Ramon Cervantes Junior who spoke about getting closure following his father’s death.

On the phone: Ramon ‘Monchi’ Cervantes Jr., Son of Deceased

“Of the three accused, one pleaded guilty for murder, Noe Gonzalez, and the other two, Mateo Pott and Angel Antonio Cardenas pleaded guilty to manslaughter. We would have wished for a better outcome, however, we believe it is the best legal justice that we could have gotten under our present system and circumstances.”

Isani Cayetano

“What does this do for closure or that part of the healing process to take place?”

On the phone: Ramon Cervantes Jr.

“Well we are awaiting now the sentencing which will be done on the twenty-eighth of March and we are hopeful that the sentence will be stiff and long so that the punishment can be as adequate as can be, you know. We cannot get our dad back, they took away his life so we have to go for the next best so we are hopeful that the sentence will be stiff and long, as much as the law provides.”