A 22-year-old woman and mother of a small child was killed in Cotton Tree last night. She was in her family’s store when three robbers came in, shot first, and then stole the money. It’s shocking and tragic – made more so because she was killed as she held her infant child. Jacqueline Godwin went west to find out more.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
There was nothing that 48 year old Horacio Sanabria could do to save his daughter’s life as three armed men stormed through the back door of the family’s business and fired two shots. Inside Marlenia’s store at the time were 22 year old Mirna Sanabria. One of the bullets caught the young woman in here neck and she died while being rushed over to the Western Regional Hospital.
The cold blooded murder occurred in Cotton Tree Village around 8:50 on Wednesday night. Horacio Sanabria, a Guatemalan national, was making his way towards the family store when he saw three dark skinned men trying to break into the establishment.
Horacio Sanabria,
[Translation] “When he was coming he saw three guys with guns coming in and trying to break into the store and he started to fight with them but then they grabbed him and he pulled the machete out of one of their hands and cut them."
Horacio Senior was hit on the head and he fell to the ground. The father managed
to get up and ran to get a gun but the men had already entered the rear of the building where he his wife and daughter were about to close the store. The gunmen first fired two shots at the ceiling and then robbed the women of money and jewellry.
Horacio Sanabria,
“They carried about three hundred dollars and jewelry and coins, a lot of coins.”
Then the mother watched in terror as the men shot her daughter. Mirna sat in this chair holding her seven month old baby.
Horacio Sanabria,
“He grabbed my sister’s chain from her neck and the little baby’s one too, my mother too, they popped a lot of chains off her neck and then he just put the gun to her neck and just shot her right here.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
There was no reason to kill Myrna.
Horacio Sanabria,
“No because she was just giving them all the money and make them go but they just shot her.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do the police have any leads in this case?
Sgt. Solomon Westby, Lead Investigator
“Actually what we are having right now at this present moment we have two persons in custody for questioning.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
I understand that the police as well have recovered a firearm believed to have been used in this murder.
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“Well we have recovered a firearm but we cannot rule at this moment
if that was the firearm used in respect to the incident.”
The police were able to take samples from bloody handprints left behind by the gunman, the father managed to chop with a machete. According to the case’s lead investigator Sergeant Solomon Westby, they strongly know why the daughter was killed.
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“My belief, due to the investigation, I believe that the reason they proceeded in murdering the female is because I believe that maybe she knew who the robbers were.”
The incident has left area residents scared and they say the village needs a police station.
Kimberly Jones, Cotton Tree Resident
“Killing innocent people, we do need a police station and we really need assistance.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
It’s the first time something like this happened?
Kimberly Jones,
“Yes, first time people get robbed like this and dead innocently.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How scared are you?
Kimberly Jones,
“Oh I am very scared because now we are scared to go to the store and do our little shopping, and things like this make you not want to go anywhere.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So having the police here, would make you feel more secure?
Kimberly Jones,
“Yes because if anything happens, it is not like if they have vehicles to travel to places and assist us.”
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“At this moment with police presence in that area, as you know the village does not have a police posted at the village but definitely we do patrols within the city and within the area. Any reports being made from that area and then we deal with it according to the situation.”
22 year old Mirna Sanabria will be laid to rest on Friday. For 7NEWS, Jacqueline Godwin
Belmopan police have described the two men who are in detention as strong suspects. It is believed that all three gun men are from Ontario Village in the Cayo District. Police say the reason why the Sanabria Store was targeted is because it is the last to close in the village.
