Salvadoran fugitive Edwin Paula recaptured in Belmopan

Edwin Paula

After four months of being on the run, thirty-year-old Edwin Paula, indicted on charges of robbery and murder, has been recaptured by police during an overnight raid.  After being arraigned in Belmopan in early February, Paula fled from police custody near Cotton Tree Village and remained a fugitive, his whereabouts unknown to law enforcement.  That was until early this morning when, acting upon intelligence, officers stormed a hotel room in San Martin where he was found in the company of a woman.  Paula is accused, along with three others, of murder and attempted murder, as well as the daring U.B. and La Choza robberies in Belmopan a year ago.  According to police, he has been arraigned on an additional charge of escape and remanded to the Belize Central Prison.

Supt. Howell Gillette, O.C., Belmopan Police

Howell Gillette

“This morning, shortly after two [o’clock], based on information we gathered, we launched an operation in the Salvapan area where Mr. Edwin Paula, thirty-years-old, unemployed of San Martin area, was found in a hotel, the name I do not care to disclose, and he was in the company of one Martha Vasquez, nineteen-years-old.  Both Mr. Paula has been charged for the escape which happened on the third of February of this year, in the village of Cotton Tree, and Ms. Martha Vasquez has been charged for harboring a criminal.  Both of them have been taken to court.  Mr. Paula was wanted, was charged in the past for the U.B. robbery which [netted] over forty-one thousand dollars.  That occurred on the eighth of May of last year.  He was also wanted for the murder of Isabel Antonio Vallona Carillo, a Salvadoran Belizean and that incident took place on June 2^nd, 2013.  Ever since the third of February he has been on the loose.  We have been trying to get him but we were unable, but based on information from the public and we are very thankful to the public who supported us through this operation we were able to locate him and he was brought in without any incident.”

Isani Cayetano

“Can you confirm if the perp walk and subsequent arraignment is with regards to the additional charges, the escape and the murder?”

Supt. Howell Gillette

“No.  He was previously charged for murder and robbery and possession of unlicensed ammunition and firearm.  He is only being taken now for the escape and he will be taken to prison as soon as we are through after the arraignment.”