Corozal teacher murdered in his home

Six horrific murders in five days… not a pretty record and still no clear policy to arrest crime. The two strategies announced in the past year have failed miserably and crime and violence continue to spiral out of control. With each passing day, more bodies pile up in the morgues around the country. In Corozal Town this past weekend, a well known and liked teacher was murdered in a most gruesome way. The community is reeling at the heinous crime, which occurred in the center of town at the victim’s house. Duane Moody reports from the north.

Duane Moody, Reporting
The life of fifty-nine year old Javier Castillo was cut short just two weeks before his birthday when he was savagely killed on Saturday. Castillo was strangulated with the cord from a fan and then slashed in the abdomen. His brother, Enrique, discovered his body.

Enrique Castillo, Brother of Deceased
“My neighbor just across, she called us and told us that some windows seemed to be broken so I came over to check and upon peeping inside I noticed my brother just lying down in a pool of blood. The way I saw it, is that he actually had time to accommodate the man. It’s not that you give me a blow and the way I fall that’s the way I stay, but he was just set there. After all was done, they moved him and just set him there. His bed is here, the window is here then a bureau is here, a big wardrobe and then right in between there and right in between there.”

Inspector James Moreira, Deputy O.C., Corozal Police
“The police observed inflicted injuries to the stomach and I would say strangulation is within the investigation.”

It was Javier’s neighbor and friend, Alba Alamilla, who realized that something was wrong and alerted the family.

Alba Alamilla, Neighbor
“On Saturday morning my nephew went to the shop and when he came he looked at the house and he saw the light was on. So now he come and tell me about it and I start to wondering what’s going on in there. I saw the window in the morning when I got up and I stand on my verandah. I saw the window that was broken so I called their parents about twelve to one o’clock in the afternoon. I called them to come and check on what was going on over there because I didn’t see him.”

Duane Moody
“You thought it was a burglary?”

Enrique Castillo
“Yes, but the way I saw everything else—because all of the other rooms are undisturbed; nothing is touched. There’s his stereo, his TV, there’s…”

Duane Moody
“And they didn’t move anything?”

Enrique Castillo
“Not a thing; only in his room and part of the bathroom.”

But who would want to kill the former U.D.P. Councillor and well- liked educator? That question still remains unanswered.

Duane Moody
“Do you know what could have been the motive of this crime?”

Inspector James Moreira
“The investigation is ongoing and I would not want to speculate at this time.”

Duane Moody
“Do you believe that it was someone that he knew that did something like this?”

Enrique Castillo
“Frankly speaking, I would think so. He wouldn’t just invite people up just like that. He had to know you and say hey come on up, let’s have a beer or something like that. So it had to be someone that he know, I figured.”

There are no signs of forced entry at his home but there are reasons to believe that he knew his killer. The grizzly murder has had an effect on the students of Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico where Castillo had just recently been teaching.

Carlos Castillo, Principal, Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico
“He taught literature to the first and second form students.”

Duane Moody
“How would you describe his person?”

Carlos Castillo
“He was very jovial, he loved to read, he loved to teach literature. And I know him from before he came here because he taught at C.C.C. and C.J.C. when I was there and he was considered a very good English/Literature teacher.”

Duane Moody
“What are the sentiments coming from the students that he taught?”

Carlos Castillo
“Well, they are in shock right now and we have the counselor who is talking to them at the moment.”

Castillo will be missed by many. Police say his bank and credit cards and the weapon used to kill him are missing. Duane Moody, reporting for News Five.

Police have detained at least four persons for questioning.