He was one of Belize’s most notorious criminals on the run since March – wanted for 2 murders in Placencia and armed robberies in the west. Gregory Casildo was wanted since February – which is when he allegedly killed Shannon “Shaggy” Henderson and then businessman Samuel de Jesus Ortiz on March 14th. He then headed west and for the last 3 months, an entire team of officers was tasked to hunt him down in the Spanish Lookout area. It paid off at 2 this morning on a road between Spanish Lookout and Yalbac. That’s where police say they came across Casildo and a 15 year old minor in a Pontiac Grand Am. Commander of national police operations – Assistant Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries told us how it went down.
Crispin Jeffries, Commander – National Police Operations
“Police came across a car that was stationery on a road, one of the side roads leading between Yalbac and Spanish Lookout and they observed inside that car, two male persons. The team approached the car and later on one of the occupants was spoken to and at the same time the second attempted to alight the vehicle. That second occupant was recognised as Gregory Casildo who appeared out of the vehicle with a handgun and fired shots at the police. The police
returned fire and Gregory Casildo was fatally injured. He later died or was presumed dead.
From initial observations we believe he got four shots. The exact locations on the body I am yet to confirm but police officers from the scene are saying they believe he got four shots. The initial indications are that he was shot in the front part of his body.
In that vehicle we found a knapsack which contained an assortment of the ammunition. It contained a container inside that bag that thirty two 9 mm live rounds, four 5.56 live rounds, and 3.32 expended shells. We also found on the person of Casildo when he was searched a ski mask and one more expended shell.
Gregory Casildo was wanted for questioning by the police. A warrant was issued in the first instance for his arrest in connection with two murders in the Placencia area, the first occurring on February 14th of this year and the second occurring on 14th March of this year. Subsequent to those incidents the police had mounted a manhunt which continued until the recent exercise.
During the last two months much has been heard of Gregory Casildo in the Cayo District, particularly in the Spanish Lookout, Santa Elena and Esperanza village are of that district. Numerous efforts have been made to find and capture this person and we thank the communities of the Spanish Lookout and other areas. It is good intelligence work and good community support that has resulted in this break through in this long ongoing manhunt for this person who we believe has eluded the police for so long.”
Police say they found a third suspect who was also armed in the area. He’s been identified as Salvadoran Adan Roberto Jimenez who was wanted for questioning. Police say they also found numerous expended and live nine milimeter and 5.56 shells. They also found a 9 milimeter gun outside the car and a cell phone belonging to Martin Wall. He is the Mennonite businessman whose finger was almost amputated when he was robbed and tied up inside his Spanish Lookout home two weeks ago.
