Over a month ago a drug vessel headed for the USA or Mexico full of Colombian cocaine is believed to have capsized in Belizean waters and its entire cargo, estimated to be tons of cocaine, were lost to the sea. Those estimated thousands of kilos have been turning up all over, particularly in the hands of civilians who see an opportunity to cash in on big time drug money. But when amateurs play in one of the deadliest games on earth there will be casualties, and police believe that's what happened this weekend in Ladyville, it led to the murder of a man who first came to our attention in 2003.
Keith Swift Reporting,
A then angry and defiant Emerson (Emmerson) Eligio made headlines on September 16th of 2003 when he was charged for beating up his common-law wife Martha Palma. But they reunited shortly after, and have been together ever since. On Saturday night Eligio, Palma, and the couple's nine-year-old daughter were held hostage inside their small home on Jackson Avenue in Ladyville. Martha lived to tell the tale.
Martha Palma, Eligio's Common-law Wife
"We don't have what the people they want. We don't have anything. They killed my man for nothing. They threatened me and my daughter for nothing."
Police say it was in this room that Emerson Eligio was tortured for about half an hour. He was beaten with a machete, choked with a belt strap and then finally he was shot once to the chest. Martha and the couple's daughter were both in the house around 8 pm. They had just finished watching a DVD when they were ambushed.
Martha Palma,
"I saw somebody stooped down with a mask over his head and ran straight towards the door, because my gentleman was sitting there, and stick the gun on the side of his hand and told him, 'Jackson I heard it is you had the thing, hand up the thing.' The voice sounded like a voice I know. They started to rough us up and thing. One of them took a machete and whapped my gentleman on his foot and one of them took off their belt and put it around his neck and they said they weren't getting anywhere. The tall one said they should shoot us."
The men didn't leave with drugs but they didn't leave empty handed. Before escaping the men did two things. First they robbed the family of their cell phones, wallets, and jewelry. The heartless invaders even snatched a gold chain from around the neck of the couple's daughter which left a scar. Palma told us what they did next.
Martha Palma,
"He until all of them came outside and then he was the last one and he shot him (Emerson). But it looks like it was one of his friends. Why I said it looks like one of his friends is because the person didn't want to shoot Emerson to kill him because they had the gun to Emerson's head but they shot him in his chest to just warn him or something but they didn't know it would reach so serious and kill this man."
It was a single gunshot that hit Eligio in his left chest. A neighbor says she was on her verandah when she heard the shot. She asked us not to show her face.
Neighbor,
"I was sitting right here Saturday evening about 7:30, minutes to 8, and when I came outside I heard a gunshot, because they don't live that far from me. My cousin asked me if I heard it and I told her yes. She said it was a gunshot and I said somebody probably got shot at the back there. So by the time we finished talking about it, I saw Martha running and I asked her what happened. She told me Jackson had just gotten shot. She asked me to call for help and I told her I would call the police for her."
Police believe this is the path the men took to both enter and exit Eligio's yard. It leads to rooms owned and rented out by Eligio. It also eventually leads to a main road in Ladyville where a getaway car was supposedly parked. Inspector Christopher Noble is the officer commanding Ladyville police.
Inspector Chris Noble, Ladyville Police
"The information we have is that it was a shooting incident and the person in the name of Emerson Eligio passed away as a result of that incident. That investigation is still ongoing as we speak."
Keith Swift,
We understand he was tortured. He was lashed with a machete, strangled with a belt and then shot.
Inspector Chris Noble,
"Our investigations are still ongoing. It is something that we would be able to tell you what happened to Mr. Eligio prior to his death. We have that in our investigation."
Keith Swift,
Can you confirm if they were asking Eligio about drugs?
Inspector Chris Noble,
"I was not there."
But one person who was there is Martha Palma. Today as she peeped into the morgue where an autopsy was being conducted on her common-law husband of 15 years, she conceded that there are many questions she doesn't have the answers to.
Keith Swift,
Did they say they were after drugs?
Martha Palma,
"I didn't even know what they were talking about. They said to hand over the thing and I didn't know what they meant."
Keith Swift,
You believe it was drugs?
Martha Palma,
"Well that is the only thing I could have think about because I hear so many people are getting hurt out at Caye for drugs so that is what I thought of."
Keith Swift,
Could one of your older sons have come into contact with drugs and that is would be why they went to your house?
Martha Palma,
"Well I don't know about that cocaine thing. I don't deal with that cocaine thing but my son wasn't involved in that. My son and the young man are friends. They are friends."
Those are outstanding questions that have left Margaret Eligio, Emerson's mom, puzzled.
Margaret Eligio, Mother of Deceased
"Al I want to say is that whosoever killed him, it is justice I need and I hope they find the killer because that is my son and I love my son." [Sobbing]
Keith Swift,
At any point did you feel that your life or daughter's was in danger?
Martha Palma,
"Yes and I feel that it is still in danger because those boys would think I know anything and they would want to come back after me. I am telling them please don't do that. I would advise to please don't do that because I don't know about anything."
It is a plea she made Saturday and a plea Martha repeats hoping the terror she endured on Jackson Avenue, which is named after Eligio, will never has be revisited.
While it was only vaguely alluded to in the story, we can confirm that two children from the neighborhood were briefly held hostage by the men. Apparently during the whole ordeal the couple's daughter somehow got outside. It was during that time she met her friends who live nearby. Realizing the child had left the house, one of the bandits went outside and pulled in all three children. Thankfully the only injury to the children was the scratch on the neck of the couple's daughter. The family of the two other little girls have since moved out of the area.
Police have no one detained at this time. That was only one of four murders reported between Friday and Sunday. Later on in the newscast, we'll tell you about a double murder of a father and son in the Stann Creek district.
