Police arrest 2 men for Monday’s murder/kidnapping; seek 3rd
Less than a week after police discovered the tortured body of twenty-two year old Emigdio Gomez hanging from a tree on a feeder road two miles off the Coastal Road, some inroads have been made into the case. Gomez and twenty-seven year old Cornelius Schmitt were shot after three men pretending to be plain clothes policemen stalked them near Hattieville and robbed Schmitt of three hundred dollars.
The accused are Jesse James Ochoa and Wesley Emmanuel, of the Cayo District, who tomorrow will be escorted to the Magistrate’s Court to face charges of Murder, Attempted Murder, Robbery, and related offenses. Today, C.I.B. Chief, Superintendent Aaron Guzman and Lead Investigator, Sergeant Sinquest Martinez explained what led them to the two suspects, and said they are still looking for a third man.
Superintendent Aaron Guzman, O.C., C.I.B.
“Our counterparts in Melchor detained him and handed hi over to Benque Viejo police on Saturday, he was detained. So it shows that we are working hand in hand with our neighbouring police officers. That gentleman is Jesse James Ochoa.”
Jules Vasquez, Channel Seven
“Jesse James Ochoa?”
Supt. Aaron Guzman
“Jesse James Ochoa.”
Marion Ali
“That name sounds familiar. Who is he?”
Supt. Aaron Guzman
“He’s a Belizean. He is from Young Gial area or Young Bank road. That’s between Camalote and Roaring Creek. Based on that, our major crimes team from Belize City did some further works and Sunday morning we arrested a second person, Wesley Emmanuel, a.k.a. Wesley Snipes.”
Jules Vasquez
“In what area sir?”
Supt. Aaron Guzman
“Cotton Tree.”
Inspector Sinquest Martinez, Lead Investigator
“It was a planned robbery about a couple weeks ago. That’s what our investigation is telling us.”
Jules Vasquez
“So, they had presumably conducted surveillances on Mister Cornelius and Mister Emigdio?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Okay, there’s still one more person that we are looking for. He is the main one that we are looking for.”
Marion Ali
“The suspected gunman?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“The suspected gunman, Juan Aldana, Belizean. One live on the Young Bank which is the Valley of Peace Road. The other lives not too far from there and there is a lot of work, logging that go on in the Young Bank area, the Valley of Peace Road, the Banana Bank area.”
Jules Vasquez
“So presumably they planned to steal the heavy equipment?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Yes, to steal it and take it over to the Guatemalan side; the bulldozer.”
Marion Ali
“For sale.”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“For sale.”
Marion Ali
“Are they cooperating with you guys? Have they said anything to you?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Yes, both of them, both Ochoa and Emmanuel. They have talked to the police.”
Marion Ali
“And they have said?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“What they said we already knew.”
Jules Vasquez
“Did they confirm their involvement?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Yes.”
Marion Ali
“So they have confessed to the crime?”
Supt. Aaron Guzman
“They have given their account of the incident.”
Marion Ali
“But, if I could get into the gruesomeness of … this was a kidnapping, a robbery and a murder and a torture. This man was found hanging. Can you explain what were these guys thinking? How do you do something like that?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Well, honestly our investigation has shown that one of them, Juan Aldana it was his birthday and he was having a couple drinks and that might have led to what had happened; to give him the courage, the spirit, the drive.”
Marion Ali
“He was motivated by …”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“By what he might have drank or smoked earlier. It was his birthday. He was having fun.”
Jules Vasquez
“In what area do you all expect to fin Mister Aldana?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Well, we have our sources out. He is not in the country of Belize.”
Marion Ali
“He’s in Guatemala, Mexico?”
Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“I will not say.”
