The pascua should be peaceful – but it was a crazy Christmas holiday; between Christmas day and last night, there were three murders, three shootings, 1 unexplained death – which may also turn out to be a murder, and three armed assaults. We begin detailing the most unseasonable spiral in crime in the Cayo District, Teakettle Village to be exact where a man was killed with a pick axe. Jacqueline Godwin found out more.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The blood soaked mattress tells you it was a vicious attack on fifty three year old Salvadoran national Jesus Israel Alas, a naturalized Belizean who lived for the past several years inside this two bedroom wooden house in the Arizona area behind Teakettle Village in the Cayo District.
The farmer’s body was found lying face up on this mattress inside his bedroom. Officer in charge of Crime Investigation Branch in Belmopan Sgt. Solomon Westby believes the victim was sleeping when his killer struck him in the back of his head with a pick axe.
Sgt. Solomon Westby, CIB – Belmopan
“Inside the said room where he was lying face down with injuries behind the head, they found a pick axe which had blood stains on it and was sitting
on a small table in the said room.”
Belmopan police are now acting on information that they have just received that suggests two persons were visiting with Jesus Moreno Alas on the night of December 24th when he was killed. Now police are looking for the man and woman they say have vital information that can help them solve this case.
Jacqueline Godwin,
How optimistic are the police that this case will be solved?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“Right now we are working on two names that the police have received that we believe can assist us in the investigation as to probably who the murderer is in this case and we know that these two persons we are looking for could have vital information for us that could lead us to this case being solved. We are asking for neighbours if they have any information or any people in the surrounding Teakettle Village to cooperate with the police in this matter.”
The gruesome discovery was made by a seventy seven year old friend of the murder victim who had gone by the residence to visit. According to Belmopan Police there were no signs of forced entry. Why Jesus Alas was killed is still being investigated but the homicide has left neighbours like Philip Martinez concerned for their own safety.
Philip Martinez, Neighbour
“I just came to live here about three or so months ago and he seems like a very nice cool guy as far as I know. He is understandable because he comes over here sometimes and just asks if everybody is alright and how we are doing.”
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“We believe based on our investigation, the information we are getting
is that the deceased was last seen alive sometime on the 24th after midday. So we believe he was killed sometime between the 24th and the 25th.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you believe whoever killed Jesus knew him?
Philip Martinez,
“I believe so. I believe so because like I said it was an inside job.”
Police say the friend not only discovered the partially decomposed body but he also noticed that several items were missing from the house.
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“The friend was able to mention some of the list of the items that have been stolen since he has had a period of time visiting and knowing what items belonged to Alas. At this moment these are some of the items that we are looking for. They include chainsaw, a chainsaw, a gas tank, a stove, some fence wire, rolls of fence wire, a stereo system, bags of corn, and mostly items that have been used for farming situation.”
Because the body of fifty three year old Jesus Alas was discovered two days after it s believe he was killed, police cannot say if the burglary is a motive or even if it was committed by the killer or someone else. Reporting for 7NEWS Jacqueline Godwin.
Up to news time, police had not made any arrests on those leads the investigators discussed in the story.
