Murder in Capital City

Benito Mendoza

There was a murder in the capital early this morning. It is the first in Belmopan since the beginning of the year and the community is in shock.  The Roaring Creek resident and two others were purchasing food in front of a night club when he was shot and killed. An eyewitness says the suspect is someone Benito Mendoza met earlier in the night. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports from Belmopan.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

Shortly after two this morning, twenty-five year old Benito Mendoza was killed with a single gun-shot to the left-side of the head. Mendoza along with a cousin and his friend, Carlos Wright, were here on the perimeter of the Junction’s grounds at the round-about in Belmopan. They were buying food when a man drove up and shot him in cold-blood in front of numerous bystanders:

Carlos Wright, Witnessed Murder/Friend

“The guy just drove beside us very slowly. I mean vehicle were coming in and going out so we weren’t paying attention to what’s going on. So the guy just actually pass right beside us, about five feet, and he just opened fire like blap and the little guy just dropped right beside me—crucial death.”

Andrea Polanco

“And of course when he was hit, he died on the spot?”

Carlos Wright

“Yeah. I mean blood just flew out of his brain. And I just took off my shirt and threw it over his face. It was kind sad. I’m really touched. I don’t really know this person that actually did the shooting or killing. We went out there and this guy just looked at me, stared at me, stare at him. but I don’t know him—he’s not around from Roaring Creek, Cayo area. but we went out there. he passed beside us, went into a vehicle and drove slowly beside us when we were ordering our food and the guy just parked slowly, took out a millimeter gun—I don’t know what caliber rifle he had—and he just like open a fire. this guy was like right beside my head and a blum.”

Carlos Wright

Andrea Polanco

“So you could have been hit as well?”

Carlos Wright

“Well basically.”

But prior to his death, Wright says that Mendoza exchanged words with his killer:

Andrea Polanco

“Did they exchange any words at any point?”

Carlos Wright

“Well just a little while we were ordering food.  They had a little exchange of words—nothing with vulgar word or whatsoever.”

Andrea Polanco

“So you remember what it was about?”

Carlos Wright

“Not necessarily. I don’t know what they were talking about but they never did have a fist fight or bottle or yuh know.”

Andrea Polanco

“Did it appear to you that they were familiar with each other; they knew each other?”

Carlos Wright

Dorisha Arnold

“I would kinda think so because it seems to me that they; well when we went into the place, they didn’t really have a reaction, but coming out of the bar and everything at the roundabout, they spoke for a little while and they were kinda jostling with a word here and there and they broke up together and this guy just went into his vehicle and came back at him and whatsoever. So I think probably they knew each other, I don’t know.”

Andrea Polanco

“Did Benito and this young man ever had any previous misunderstanding before this situation?”

Dorisha Arnold, Cousin of the deceased

“Not that we know of and with Mally’s character, we don’t know him as a trouble guy.”

According to The Junction’s proprietor, Mike Padilla, he was closing  business when he was alerted of the murder, by that time, the killer had already driven off:

Mike Padilla

Mike Padilla, Owner, The Junction

“From what I hear, I was still inside doing some paperwork when somebody informed me that there was a gunshot outside. I didn’t hear it. Some people were still in here and they were loud so when I went to peep at the door, I did see somebody on the ground across from the front.”

Andrea Polanco

“So as far as you know, of course nothing really transpired inside your business?”

Mike Padilla

“In here, no. there was no altercation or whatever. We haven’t had a fight in here at all. We have police officers as securities and we have our own securities as well. We haven’t had no fight. I don’t know fi the young man was in here or wasn’t. He probably came from another bar, I don’t know. They come and stop and buy food all the time because the vendor stays here till late—sometimes I leave the place and she is still out there selling food.”

Andrea Polanco

“So when he was shot, did your security officers respond to the scene?”

Mike Padilla

“Well the police officers were outside. When someone came knocking at the door telling me that there was a shot outside, I went to the door and I asked where the police are because I didn’t see them. They said that the police went after the vehicle that took off.”

By all accounts, Mendoza was easy-going. His murder has left everyone in complete shock:

Carlos Wright

“The guy is just an excellent lee kid. I mean out of Roaring Creek, he doesn’t have any kind of such problem with anyone.”

Dorisha Arnold

“Mally was a very nice young man; only twenty-five years old. And it is still shocking to us because he is young, he doesn’t even have a family of his own to say he has a girlfriend or a child. So he is just enjoying his youth and it is just shocking to us knowing that they just came and take away his life for nothing. The question is still out there that why they did it. The family would want to know why and ask the young man what has Mally done to you so bad for you to use one gunshot to kill him. Why? What?

But that question remains unanswered as no one has been detained. Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.

When the vehicle sped away from the scene, it was pursued by police and the occupants shot at the police. They have not been apprehended.