Tonight police say the death of an Orange Walk teen is looking more like homicide rather than a suicide. Last night we told you about the strange death of 18-year-old Shawn Cal whose body was found near a tree in the town. Our affiliates at the Northern Cable Network visited the scene yesterday and we put together this story.
Keith Swift Reporting, [keithkswift@gmail.com]
It is on one of the limbs of this mango tree that 18-year-old Shawn Cal allegedly
hanged himself in the early hours of Monday morning. It is a version that Cal's family vehemently disputes.
Ian Cal,
"When I came there was just a strap which was just on the middle limb and I doubt that could hold his weight because he is bigger than me, heavier than me, and I definitely don't think that could have hold him. I don't want to say or accuse anyone but evidence is pointing otherwise."
That is Cal's older brother Ian. He arrived with police on the scene around 9:30 and say they found Shawn on the ground - not hanging. And the evidence
of foul play he is talking about is the patch of disheveled grass under the mango tree, these burnt seat belt straps and this pile of ashes. The family believes Shawn was hanged with a seat belt straps and say that whoever did it, then set a fire to destroy evidence.
Ian Cal,
"We really think something apart from hanging happened because I was there and I saw the body and he had minor burn wounds, his top layer of skin was like peeled off in different parts of the body, and so I think something else happened.
When we came here there's a fire, which is located about three yards from here, but I think he got the burn marks here because when we came here that morning there was still smoke coming out of that fire."
Shawn's mother Alice Cal also believes where there is smoke there was a fire and she believes that all this: the tree, these straps, and the fire hearth are evidence of a homicide - not suicide.
Alice Cal, Deceased's Mother
[Translated from Spanish] "My son was not hanged. At no time was he hanging, it was a small tree, the limbs are thin, and I went personally to see it and there is no sign that he was hanging but I could see where they struggled. That yes you can see. Maybe they started to fight among a lot of them, maybe they hit him, he became unconscious and that is when they took advantage and strangled him. That is the truth, my son didn't take his life and I want the entire world to know that he didn't take his life."
And now this mother is also appealing for justice for her 18 year old.
Alice Cal,
"I don't know what they did to him and I believe it was more than one person because my son was strong. One person could not do it. So I know that he was murdered and I want justice. It cannot be that they take away a boy's life, young and happy, that was just starting to live. So I am asking for justice and I have faith in god that these people will talk because my son was friends with the entire world. He had no enemies. I don't know the reasons why they did it but I hope that this is cleared up and that it would serve as an example to other young men to see or to be careful with whom they associate because you call anyone friends because friends do not exist. Your friends are only your mother and God."
And it is clear on Monday morning under this mango tree Shawn had no friends.
Police have detained Cal's friend Pablo Molina for questioning. He is reportedly not cooperating with police. Molina found the body and he is the only one who claims to have seen it hanging since police now agree that when they arrived on the scene the body was not hanging. And while the mystery of his death will not go away, Cal was buried yesterday in Orange Walk Town.
