A devilish attack has left an entire family of 6 dead after they were burnt inside their house in Blackman Eddy Village in the Cayo district. It is a case of arson and multiple murder - and more disturbingly, it is the third such event to have happened in the same area in 15 months. At around 12:30 last night police were called to an area near the Iguana Creek Bridge where they found a wooden structure burnt to the ground. Inside were the remains of 4 children and their parents: 28-year-old Elias Mayen Ayala, his pregnant common law wife Maria Suchite and their 4 children: 7-year-old Yanira Mayen Ayala, 6-year-old Alex Mayen Ayala, 4 year old Marco Antonio Mayen Ayala and 2 year old Victor Mayen Ayala. They had moved into the house on Sunday and 48 hours later, someone or some group set the house on fire killing all of them as they slept. We went to Blackman Eddy Village looking for answers in this puzzling and terrifying case.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
At around 12:30 last night police were called to the scene here behind me where upon arrival they made the ghastly discovery of six bodies in rubble.
Enrique Aldana, Investigating Officer
"I saw the house completely destroyed by the fire and the remains of six persons completely burnt were at the scene. They were not completely burnt, actually you could see the body; the features of the body itself. Investigations reveal that it was a whole family consisting of Elias Mayen Ayala, he is 28 years; Maria Sichite, she is 22; both of them are Guatemalans. Along with them were their kids 7-year-old Yanira Mayen Ayala, 6-year-old Alex Mayen Ayala, 4 year old Marco Antonio Mayen Ayala and 2 year old Victor Mayen Ayala."
Today police and fire investigators were sifting through the ashes in the hopes of collecting critical evidence. As they did so they also picked up the watchman of the estate. He's identified as Roberto Pineda. Pineda along with his common law wife Estella Gonzalez and their two children as well as another child their nephew were the only other people within at least a quarter mile radius. Gonzalez says she heard the screams of help coming from the oldest child.
Estella Gonzalez, Witness
"I heard one scream, I think it was the little girl she's about nine or ten and is in school."
Alfonso Noble,
Did you go out to see what was happening?
Estella Gonzalez,
"No because my husband says that he was afraid and I did not let him because I was afraid they were going to hurt him and my children. They had already walked around our farm as well. It was a miracle that we were saved along with our children.
At around 7 the dogs were barking. I told my husband that it was people but he said no and that I should not be afraid. At around 12 last night he woke me and told me there was a blaze. He told me he heard the screams but didn't hear anything else. He then told me that we should pray to God that nothing happen to us because the dogs were barking around our house. I started to cry and asked God to save me, my child and my nephew that was with us. I was thinking about my friend. I know her for years, and the children. She was pregnant."
By the time authorities made it to the scene after receiving a call from Gonzalez and her husband the entire wooden structure was completely destroyed. All the burnt remains of the 6 occupants were found on the ground floor after the structure collapsed. Now, investigators are looking to find out how the house was burnt down and who is responsible for the ruthless act of mass murder.
Alfonso Noble,
Are you suspecting arson at this point?
Enrique Aldana,
"I cannot say at this moment. We are looking at all angles to see what the investigating will be coming for. We are suspecting foul play."
And as police are suspecting foul play they are investigating the possibility that this incident may be related to one which occurred similarly in June of this year. Three people were killed and the house was set on fire.
Enrique Aldana,
"A house was attempted to be placed on fire. So we are looking at that angle too, we are not leaving nothing uncovered at this time."
In this case however fire authorities who are working closely with the police to figure out how the fire started say they have ruled out a number of possibilities.
Michael Middleton, Fire Department
"We ruled out electricity because there is no electricity in the building or in this area. We've ruled out the cause from a stove. We found two tabletop butane stoves but no tanks. That is what we could rule out at this moment."
Alfonso Noble,
The fire hearth?
Michael Middleton,
"The fire hearth has been ruled out definitely."
Alfonso Noble,
Have you been able to determine if there was any accelerant, any accelerant thrown on the building or anything of that nature?
Michael Middleton,
"No we cannot determine that at this moment. That would have to be determined by the forensic lab. Some of the evidence we gathered, the main one is a hurricane lamp which we found in the back of the building."
Alfonso Noble,
Has that been ruled out as a source of ignition?
Michael Middleton,
"Yeah that has been ruled out because we determined that the fire actually started in the front."
The fire authorities believe that fire started at the front of the structure but they know very little else. The same goes for Elias Mayen Ayala's mother Gloria Rodriguez Mayen.
Gloria Rodriguez Mayen, Mother of Deceased
"I was surprised when I was told that he had died. It was this morning that I was told. That's all I know. They had a good relationship with people. They did favors. He didn't look for problems. He was a poor man, always looking for work to send his children to school. He had it bad because he had two children in school. So he had come over here to see if he could leave his children with the neighbor and go to work. Yesterday he was to have left for San Pedro to work."
But while he was trying to make a better life, Mayen's neighbor says a few days ago he had a confrontation with some men in Blackman Eddy Village
Estella Gonzalez,
"He said that when he reached the field in Blackman Eddy there was a group of six men who threatened him. He said he spotted his flashlight on one of them but he said nothing more."
Now police will be following every lead but for now Estella Gonzalez who still lives in the area where the barbaric act occurred says she's not at all contemplating returning home.
Estella Gonzalez,
"I don't want to go back to that place."
After last night's attack there is good enough reason for that as this most savage of attacks comes with no explanation.
A post mortem has certified that all the occupants of the house were burnt to death. Police have one man in custody he is Roberto Pineda the watchman of the estate where the Ayala's lived. At this moment they have very little else to go on but are looking at the strong possibility that this is connected to one that occurred between the first and third of June of this year - right in Blackman Eddy - when 26 year old Fabian Oroman, 22 year old Lucilla Diaz Hernandez and their 10 month old child Alexander Oroman were found chopped to death and then ritualistically burned. That incident also bore similarities to one that occurred on May 26th of 2005 when an elderly man who live don a nearby property was also burnt to death.
