A “Mystery” Murder in San Ignacio, An Indian National is Shot and Killed

Ramandeep Mangat

A twenty-nine-year-old woman, an Indian national, was shot and killed on Friday night in San Ignacio Town. It happened on Buena Vista Street while her husband, thirty-four-year-old Gurmeet Mangat, was a short distance away purchasing tacos from food vendors in the area. Mangat reported to police that he parked his pickup truck near the intersection with Apollo Street, leaving his wife inside the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, he heard his wife screaming and when he turned around, saw that she had fallen from the vehicle. He reportedly ran to her aid but she was motionless. Despite being rushed to the San Ignacio Community Hospital, Ramandeep Mangat succumbed to her injuries.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“On Friday, police responded to a report of a woman being shot and transported to the San Ignacio Community Hospital when they got there, they saw the motionless body of Ramandeep Mangat, twenty-nine-years-old. Investigators gathered that she was transported there by her husband who reported to the police, his name is Gurmeet Mangat. He was at a tacos stand on Buena Vista street, not too far from the San Ignacio Hotel when he departed his pickup truck to go and purchase tacos and about five minutes later he heard a scream from his wife and when he turned around he saw her trying to exit the pickup. By the time he got to the pickup, she was outside of the truck, on the ground bleeding from what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He claimed that he put her back in the truck and rushed her to the San Ignacio Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead by a medical officer. So far investigators have canvassed that area. We know that initially Mr. Gurmeet was detained for questioning and I‘m not certain of the investigators are through with him as yet, but we know that a mystery murder like this is very difficult so I‘m just waiting for updates today from investigators in San Ignacio.”

Reporter

“Sir, you referred to it as a mystery murder…”

Fitzroy Yearwood

“I wouldn’t say that it’s the only source, but usually in a murder of this nature, you want to clear the person that was with the victim last, before you know which other direction to go and I am certain that he was only detained for questioning to clear up whatever the investigators believe could put him in the clear.”

Reporter

“Were there any other witnesses on the scene or anything else that would provide police with additional information?”

Fitzroy Yearwood

“Like I said, it’s after eight in the night, they were parked a little distance from the actual tacos stand, but I know that our officers were out there that night, working and trying to canvass whatever information they could to see how we can solve this one.”