B.D.F. Volunteer Dead—homicide or suicide?

Thomas Reyes

A B.D.F. volunteer sergeant was found dead this morning at his house in San Ignacio. There were telltale signs that Thomas Reyes made have taken his own life. A note and gun were found nearby. San Ignacio police, however, are investigating it as a case of homicide. The forty-nine year old Security Guard was found dead inside his Burns Avenue room this morning. Reyes, a Dangriga resident, was working with SOS Security Firm and stationed in San Ignacio. He was last seen around ten on Wednesday morning; less than twenty four hours later he was found dead in his bed with a bullet to the head. According to his brother, Corporal Sam Bonilla, Reyes was discovered with his license work gun and a suicide note. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

It was inside his room here at fifty-nine Burns Avenue that forty-nine year old B.D.F. Volunteer Sergeant was found dead:

Corporal Sam Bonilla, Brother of the Deceased

“He had a gunshot wound to the right side of his head and exited the left side of his head.”

Around nine this morning, his body was discovered in his bed on a blood-soaked mattress, along with a bullet lodged in the wall. Police officers can be seen processing the scene and later transporting the body to the hospital. Corporal Sam Bonilla, Reyes brother, says his brother was last seen alive around ten a.m on Wednesday and this morning he got the news on the road:

Sam Bonilla

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“I was travelling from Dangriga to Belize City on the bus and I received a call from the deputy in charge here in Cayo, Mister Mai, and he informed me that my brother had passed away and requested if I can visit San Ignacio police station. On my arrival here, I was briefed by himself, Miss Willis and investigating officer, Mister Baron, as what they observed on the scene.”

Inside his home, a gun was discovered, belonging to the security firm where he works. Also found was a suicide note, addressed to his wife, Janice Reyes:

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“There was a nine millimeter that was found, also a letter addressed to his wife, Miss Janice Reyes.”

Andrea Polanco

“So that nine millimeter, was that a gun that he owns?”

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“No it’s for the security firm that he is in charge of down here—it is an SOS Security and that’s the firearm that belongs to the company.”

Andrea Polanco

“So he has been working in recent weeks?”

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“Yes he has been working in recent weeks. he was dispatched to San Ignacio by his  superior because the main office is in Belize City. So he was dispatched here to be in charge out here.”

Andrea Polanco

“So Corporal, did you have the opportunity to maybe see the letter that he left behind?”

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“Yes I have the opportunity to see it; the investigator showed me. It is an emotional letter; very touching and as far as that I really don’t wanna comment. I really want to address his wife first before I do any comments about it.”

Andrea Polanco

“So you would say that the letter of course was written by him; his handwriting?”

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“Yes I would say that.”

But why would Reyes want to kill himself? According to his brother, he was a jovial person and had no problems.

Andrea Polanco

“So as his brother, would you happen to know if he had any problems in his personal life that cause him maybe to take his life?”

Corporal Sam Bonilla

“No I don’t. My brother is somebody that he just have fun. He works. When he done work, he would take his little taste, take his bitters, smoke ih cigarette and we just run joke.”

And for San Ignacio police, while the gun and note were discovered, at a scene reminiscent of a suicide, they are still treating it as a homicide for now:

Inspector

Claudio Mai

, San Ignacio Police

“What we police officers do in every situation when a person is found dead, we treat as a murder investigation then we disclose what it is. So at the moment we are treating that as a murder.”

Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.

According to reliable reports, also discovered on the scene was a bullet lodged in the wall along with a live round. Police also retrieved a glass and bottle of rum from the scene.