4 Roaring Creek residents charged for murder of cop
A group of four, residents of Roaring Creek Village, was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Lindsbert Willis in Belmopan today on a joint charge of murder. Thirty-four year old Juvencio Herrera, his elder brother, forty-one year old Elilo Herrera, twenty-six year old Gregory Martinez and twenty-eight year old Steven Garbutt are all accused of killing police constable Bertchel Ramirez in a hail of bullets on Tuesday. PC Ramirez was visiting his girlfriend in the Another World area of the village that night when he was ambushed by four armed gunmen, who opened fire on him inside his vehicle. The thirty-six year old officer was reportedly pursuing one of the men, who had allegedly fired two shots in the vicinity, when he met his death. Since the incident Belmopan police have been successful in arresting and detaining the suspects, whom they believe are responsible for Ramirez’s execution. This morning, Assistant Superintendent Sinquest Martinez spoke to the media following the arraignment.
ASP Sinquest Martinez, Officer Commanding Belmopan Police Formation
“From what I know, my police officer doesn’t have any relationship with any of the suspects. Three of the four suspects have been in an out of the Belmopan Police Station, whom I know very, very well and [they] are known criminals within this area.”
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7
“Is there any reason why they would have targeted the constable for execution?”
ASP Sinquest Martinez
Sinquest Martinez
“Like I said in my first interview that PC Ramirez went to visit a friend and that friend had an affair with one of the suspects and that what we [found out] and from that angle we started our investigation. The type of investigation carried out, we went through the entire process so that no kind of allegation [can] be made. We had the Justice of the Peace around whatsoever we were doing because this cannot slip from myself. It was very difficult. It was very emotional but we cannot have the emotion overcome process or the rule of law. We have to let the process take its course and that’s the reason why I don’t want to have any kind of glitches when this file goes to the DPP or when it reaches the court that they’d be talking about police brutality or try to justify or for them to walk away from this case as free men] no. Throughout the entire investigation I was dialoguing with the Director of Public Prosecution’s office and, through her advice, that is why the charge was brought against these four persons.”
Jules Vasquez
“Is there any recovery of the firearm that was used [to commit this crime]?”
Sinquest Martinez
“Not as yet, we are pursuing the firearms.”
The four men have been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until July nineteenth.
i believe dat d officers dat arrested those cop killers should b fired, not worthy of bein loyal to their partner, should hav been 4 more bodies ,srry but enough is enough. lets get rid of those criminals’ a good man gone an 4 criminals still here .??? nnooo nt fear
When people are “known criminals”, the police should work extra hard to solve cases against them, trail them and catch them in the act, to protect the public. Police should be more pro-active, instead of only reactive.
I’ve read in the States some departments have small squads to follow around “known criminals,” so they can catch them committing a crime — and sometimes kill them in the act.
Is this Gregory Martinez the same man who was acquitted for a 2005 murder of another policeman? If so, it underscores the argument for lynching cop killers [and other serious criminals] instead of letting the broken court system set them free.
The police have innocent people inna jail. These guys u can say criminals did not commit that crime. The police just wanted to quickly charge people. If u go to roaring creek everbody knows how the police brutalize these people. And the killers. Are still out der. So they started frm a jeolousy type of veiw. Y would four men want to kill one guy for a girl. That’s insane. Police are the only gangs in the country. Ther organized and play it smart.
@belizean rebell….u da wah freaking @$$. U need ur @$$ kicked. I dont have anything else to say to an idiot like you.
It is sad to see our beloved country just going down the drain. The government need to impose more strict laws to contain these criminals they go rampant do as they please torture the hard working community, and because they know that they can get away with it they continue doing evil taking away life. I am even afraid to walk the streets, be it in the day time or at night time. We have become prisoners of our home and country. A good man was taken away from this world, may his soul rest in peace and condolences to the Ramirez family, and to the Herrera family and who ever is involve your child might get away from the justice of this nation but we must remember that we have a higher justice that comes from above, and he makes no mistakes. So when they take away one our evil child don’t cry.
The sad thing is that the police and the DPP will screw the investigation up like they always do and “known criminals” will walk among us again. Until we force the police department to professionalize their ranks and step into the modern world, we will continue to function as a typical banana republic.
well for all u assholes out there let me tell u something i can very well say that Gregory martinez was not one of the killers i mean why would he do it he has a family and a child to take care of so y would he do something like that he was not even from that village…. i think he was only at the wrong place at the wrong time and the police told him that he was going to the station for something else he had not for murder…. u police need to do ur jobs properly and find the real person{S} that killed the cop