He was found hanging from a tree in Orange Walk Town but police believe 18-year-old Shawn Cal didn't commit suicide. The Orange Walk teen was found hanging from a mango tree in a yard on San Estevan road around 9 yesterday morning. Cal was last seen alive on Sunday night when he was drinking with friends. He was next seen hanging from that mango tree. A post mortem certified that he died from strangulation but police say they aren't certain how he was strangled. Foul play is suspected because bruises and scratches were allegedly found on the teen's body.
The body was found by his brother Ian Cal. In an interview given to our affiliates at the Northern Cable Network, Ian told Paula Ack that his brother was tortured and wasn't found hanging.
Ian Cal, Deceased's Brother
"I was informed by the police around 9:30 that my brother had been found but they hadn't reached here yet because they didn't have any transport to come
look for his body. So a friend of mine offered to come with his pickup but when we reached the police station they already had a pickup to come. So I came with them and when we reached here the body was right here on the floor, he was never up on the tree. But then the police report said that he was found hung on the tree but that was not true. That is what I want to get cleared up because he was never up there when they came here, he was on the floor, and apparently it had just happened because his body was still warm. I could have moved him and when a person dies they get stiff after a while but I could have still moved him."
Paula Ack, NCN
"On what limb are they alleging your brother hung himself?
Ian Cal,
"When I came here there was just a strap which was located on the middle limb and I doubt that could have held his weight because he is bigger than me, he is fatter than me, and I doubt that could have held him. I don't want to
say or accuse anyone but evidence is pointing otherwise. The autopsy that was taken, all the evidence, shows that he was strangled. I have the paper here that says death by asphyxia, strangulation. And when a person hangs himself, the neck usually breaks off but that proves otherwise.
His body looks like it was tortured. Maybe he got into a fight because he was with friends and so maybe they got into a fight and things led to the situation and maybe that is what happened. The brother of one of the suspects came back here and he said he saw the body there but he thought my brother was drunk. He said he went to touch him but he noticed that he was dead and he found him on the ground. That was before the police came here too because when we came here the brother was here.
My little brother was somebody that was always on the go. He went out with me, my friends were his friends. The two suspects are his friends, I know them by acquaintance. At first I said if my brother chose to kill himself, it would hurt but it was his decision. But the way I see things now, I know my brother won't do something like that."
Police are questioning Cal's roommate who is detained tonight and is a suspect. Police are looking closely at the roommate because he had bruises similar to those of the deceased, which suggests that a fight occurred. Another theory in Orange Walk is that Cal may have been suffering from a broken heart.
