Suspects charged in several major crimes

Today police updated the media on a murder that was committed on September first in the Kontiki area of San Ignacio. On that day police found the bullet-riddled body of forty-seven year old taxi driver Leopold Austin Waight. Waight’s stolen vehicle was later recovered. Senior Superintendent of Police, David Henderson, says they have two suspects in custody who will be charged by the end of the week.

David Henderson, Sr. Superintendent of Police
“Apparently the suspect were passengers of the victim’s car, who later turned out to rob him. His vehicle was taken away, his phone, and a small amount of cash.”

Marion Ali
“So did they know each other?”

David Henderson
“It wouldn’t appear that they had any relation. Maybe they had seen each other or they had known him but they had no sort of friendship or whatsoever between them. It was just basically a job he was doing.”

Marion Ali
“What will be the charges against them?”

David Henderson
“Well we will be charging the suspects them with murder.”

Meanwhile, in connection with a fight this past Saturday which resulted in the death of one of the parties, police have also made an arrest.

David Henderson, Sr. Superintendent of Police
“Joseph Garcia, fifty-three years, Belizean taxi driver of the Kontiki area in San Ignacio was involved in an altercation with one Jeneroso Romero, also known as Clifford Anthony Mapp, of which you had one Carlos Lopez, also got involved in the altercation with Garcia. During the altercation Garcia received a blow in his face and he later went to his car where he got a bat and he swung it which caught Jeneroso Romero where he later fell unconscious. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.”

An investigation was later conducted by the police which resulted in Garcia being charged with manslaughter.

Marion Ali
“Do you know what the altercation was over?”

David Henderson
“It was over some cash that Garcia had for Romero.”

Police also divulged more details of an incident that occurred on the night of August fourth in which three officers were shot while investigating the murder of Marvin Echavarria that had occurred that same night. Sergeant Enrique Aldana was one of the officers who was shot in that incident.

Sergeant Enrique Aldana, Shot in Cayo
“Whilst police officers, namely Rolando Augustine, Scenes of Crime, Filiberto Pott, and myself were processing this scene we were attacked by someone who fired several shots at us. During the course, Rolando Augustine and myself received gunshot grazes on our foot whilst Scenes of Crime, Filiberto Pott, was shot to his chest. From since then the Major Crimes Belmopan, along with the C.I.B. from Belmopan along with us in San Ignacio have been conducting an intensive investigation into the matter where on yesterday’s date police finally arrested and charged Anthony Roches, twenty-seven years, Belizean fireman assistant of Red Creek Area, Santa Elena Town, with three counts of Attempted Murder, and three counts of Deadly Means of Harm.”

“What we believe is that it was a retaliation against the Galindo’s brothers but as per usual the police were at the wrong place wrong time.”

Aldana says since the incident the police presence in the Santa Elena area has been heavy. Officer Pott, who was shot in the chest, has since been released from the hospital and is at home recovering.