70 year old murdered during Orange Walk burglary

paulo diaz

The alarm went off early this morning at a business establishment in Orange Walk Town. Thieves had broken into the business, they made away with a small amount of goods worth a couple hundred dollars, but that was only the beginning. The watchman was murdered and his body hidden. Murder victim number one hundred and eighteen was placed at a nearby shed. News Five’s Marion Ali headed today to Sugar City and has a report of the horrible murder of the elderly man.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Seventy year old Paulo “Julian” Diaz was a jovial old man who took his job seriously.  But the elderly citizen’s life was cut short early this morning by thieves who broke into San Isidro Hardware Supplies as he kept watch over the premises at number four corner Dunn and Jamaica Streets in Orange Walk Town.  Co-owner of the business, Ramon Cervantes said that he was awakened at his house when the company’s electrical alarm triggered.

ramon cervantes sr.

Ramon Cervantes Sr., Co-owner, San Isidro Hardware Supplies

“When the police came we went through the office, opened the door. Well we saw that the door was broken already from the bottom so we knew that somebody must have been in there. Well we thought that he may be in there; the thief. We went through that side, and the police searched and nothing was there. He was looking for the office but that is where the alarm system caught him and it went off and that probably scared him and he rushed out.”

The thieves left but not before removing energy saver bulbs worth over three hundred and twenty one dollars.  But the burglary was nothing close to what Cervantes expected to find.  A closer inspection of the business took him to a door at the side of the business which was broken and a few feet away, he found Diaz’ body with visible head injuries.

Ramon Cervantes

“He had his skull was hurt. According to the police he was hit about three times. And then before they go on with their job they put that drum over his head to make sure; weighing about a hundred pounds because it was open. When it is full, it is about one hundred and twelve pounds.”

Marion Ali

“That is to do what?

Ramon Cervantes

“To maybe make sure that he don’t get up from there.”

Diaz, a resident of Hibiscus Street, Orange Walk, was found under an outdoor shed inside the yard lying face up on a piece of card board and wrapped in a white sheet.

Diaz’ daughter, Zulema, still distraught and overcome by grief, said that her father had been a watchman for many years and was alert on the job.  She said that the men caught him by surprise and overpowered him.  The machete that he carried was found beside his body, but the murder weapon, believed to be a blunt object, was nowhere in sight.  Police suspect that the killers gained access to the establishment by removing a panel from the lower portion of a wooden door at front portion of the building. They have also detained five persons for questioning.  Marion Ali for News Five.

The incident happened when San Isidro was celebrating twenty years in the business.