On Tuesday we reported the verdict of the murder trial of Mark Vega and Luis Urbina in the Supreme Court. The two had been accused of the June 2003 murder of Susanna Petkau and the attempted murder of her husband Enrique Petkau. The jury came back with a not guilty verdict for Luis Urbina and a deadlocked verdict for Mark Vega. It's the bitter end to a painful and terrifying episode in the life of the Petkau family, who are Mennonites from the Shipyard Community. So what do they think of the verdict? Well today we tracked down the family or we should say what's left of the family because Keith Swift found out that the entire Petkau family is running scared and planning to leave their homes and acres behind.
Keith Swift Reporting, Email: [keithkswift@gmail.com]
This is the farm where Susanna and Enrique Petkau used to live and behind me is the van they used to drive but are now abandoned because of an incident that happened two years ago. The couple was driving on the August Pine Ridge road when they were hijacked by three men. Susanna was shot and killed on the spot while her husband was shot and left for dead. That was two years ago but it seems like yesterday for their eldest son Henry.
Henry Petkau, Victims' Son
"The day when I heard that my mom was gone, I could not believe that it was true. I could the people's motives, that they would do such a thing, because we never knew any of their families, their not familiar with us, and my parents have, as far as I know, not done any damage to those people so my parents were completely innocent."
Two years later two accused went to trial in Belize City. On Tuesday of this week a jury found Luis Urbina not guilty and were unable to reach a verdict on Mark Vega. Today in Shipyard Village we met a family both disappointed at that outcome and fearful of its aftermath.
Sarah Petkau, Victims' Daughter
"I feel kind of disappointed to hear that they are trying to get out of it because we are pretty sure that they are those guys. It disappoints me that they tried to get out of it."
Henry Petkau,
"What then does a person have to do? I really see now that if you kill somebody, its not a problem if others see because you can just say that you didn't do it and you are free because the ID parade was perfect and my dad was very clear about that and he saw them and they are in jail and they will get released. I cannot understand why such thing would happen and further I don't see why we should go to court and have a court case, spend so much time and things, and the persons get released again. I really don't understand it."
Even harder is the toll that one night two years ago had on this family.
Henry Petkau,
"I never thought that it could make such a damage. It's the first time we've experienced a person in our family dying and I never thought it would have such an effect on every part: on business, on farming, on on every corner it has affected our family very much."
In fact you can say this family numbering in the dozens who collectively own, we estimate, thousands of acres of farm property has been destroyed - or at least their existence in Belize. Their mom Susanna was killed and now their dad has remarried and he left the country after Tuesday's verdict. His children say the reason is a threat made two years ago.
John Petkau, Victims' Son
"They said if you report us we will kill you and all your family. He will kill us, that is what he told my father."
Which is why the Petkau children are planning to leave Belize.
John Petkau,
"I will Belize too because I don't feel safe right now because I know this guy will come out and if they come out here we are not safe, they will come out and kill us. If the guys were found guilty then we would feel more safe to stay in Belize but if they come out, I have to leave Belize."
Keith Swift,
You don't feel safe?
John Petkau,
"I am not safe, I don't feel safe."
John feels unsafe and so does his brother Henry Petkau. Henry like his siblings are all Belizeans by birth but he too feels danger closing in on him and is looking to give up his land and his country.
Henry Petkau,
"Some are planning to go to other places but some even left the country already, some are in Canada, but we have way because our papers and Belizeans and its not easy to go to other countries. We want to stay here and we love Belize..."
Keith Swift,
Why do you feel you have to go?
Henry Petkau,
"Just because we don't feel safe here."
Keith Swift,
What will make you feel safe again?
Henry Petkau,
"That is hard to say. One step would have been if those people stay in prison then we know that he personally will not come and they won't go looking for friends but to feel completely safe, that still won't be the answer."
Keith Swift,
So your sense of security is gone?
Henry Petkau,
"Its in a part gone and what I'm trying to do is not identify myself to people so much and when I am driving I lock all my doors and just go my way and I don't stop for passengers or things like that."
And so two years life here in Shipyard Village seems to have returned to normal. Enrique Petkau has remarried and the court case is over. But there is one exception: this community has lost its sense of security.
The DPP has the option to retry Vega for the murder and attempted murder charges. Also as we had reported, both men are still in jail serving time for other crimes allegedly committed wile on that crime rampage in Orange Walk. That includes a conviction for rape. Those sentences should average out to 13 years. In all there is a third man involved who has still not been identified. Police believe the Petkau's were the trio's first victims and then they used the stolen van to commit their other crimes.
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