On the night of his eighteenth birthday police detained him for killing his former friend and today, three days later, Ronlee Petillo was formally charged for the murder of Dennis "Tiki" Gladden. As we reported, the 25 year old was killed around 9 on Tuesday night as he stood at the corner of West and King Streets, just yards from his Far West Street home. Police say a gunman on a bike rode up, pulled out a firearm, and fired a single and fatal shot to Tiki's chest. Petillo was detained shortly after the murder.
And while they aren't vouching for his innocence, this afternoon his father and sisters told us the police used unnecessary and excessive force on Petillo. His father Francis Petillo Sr. told us he met his son in tears this morning.
Francis Petillo Sr., Father of Accused
"When I saw my son he started to cry. I asked him why he was crying and he told me that the policemen went for him around 11 o'clock and took him out of the cell and started to beat him in his chest with a gun and knock him in his face and all kind of things. They told him to run so they can shoot him because he already killed the man and I don't see that as right. Even if he did the crime, or if he didn't do the crime, I think that has to be proven when you go to court."
Ronlee's Sister
"If this man had done something like that, kill a man, do you think he would have been home. Do you think they would have found my brother home? He would have already run somewhere because he could run and go just like other criminals but they found him home and they still beat the man. They shouldn't have beat this man. When this man says he is innocent, he is innocent."
Keith Swift,
There are people out there who would say that if you knew he did it, you wouldn't say because he is your brother.
Ronlee's Sister
"That is true but even if he did it, why did the police take it upon themselves to beat this man. Even if he did it, left that up to the judge. What kind of thing our police in Belize are trying to do to we, we are trying to cooperate and they are discriminating. It is like the police are just like the criminals who are out here."
The family says Ronlee Petillo was only visiting Belize City and he lives in the Stann Creek District. He currently has a charge of resisting arrest pending for an incident that occurred in Dangriga last year. Ronlee is the younger brother of Francis Petillo who has faced charges for the Hilberto Aragon murder, the Phillip Galatty attempted murder, and a gang rape in 2004.
