Belmopan police have made an arrest for the gruesome killing of 53 year old Salvadoran national Jesus Israel alas in Teakettle in late December. Alas was found lying face up on this mattress inside his bedroom with major head wounds, allegedly inflicted by a pick axe, which was found nearby covered in blood. Today I found out what led police to their prime suspect.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
This is thirty one year old Jesus Garcia the man police say confessed to killing fifty three year old Jesus Alas on the night of December thirty first. Garcia who showed no signs of remorse as he was escorted by Belmopan Police used a pick axe to chop his victim in the back of the head as Jesus Alas slept in his bed inside his residence situated in the Arizona area just behind Teakettle Village.
According to the case’s lead investigator and the Officer in Charge of Crimes Investigation Branch in Belmopan Sgt. Solomon Westby it was a combination of swift police action and community participation that led to the quick arrest.
Sgt. Solomon Westby, Lead Investigator
“Eyewitnesses and we have recovered items that were reported stolen
also from the crime scene which linked to this individual that we have charged for murder. He has also been involved in other petty crimes around the Belmopan City area and we have valid evidence that shows he was there also socializing with the person that was murdered who is Mr. Jesus Alas.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Was the accused one of the individuals who was socializing with the victim on the night he was killed?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“Definitely he was one along his girlfriend.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Why isn’t the girlfriend being charged?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“We are still conducting further investigation on the girlfriend and based on advice that we will be getting from the DPP, we will see what direction to go with her.”
Belmopan Police strongly believe that Jesus Alas was not killed for the household items that were stolen from inside residence but for his money that he was saving to make a trip back home.
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“We believe that because of probably maybe after the socializing maybe they had found out that the deceased has owned certain things and I believe the intention was to steal.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So he was killed because?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“We believe that he was killed because we understand that he was saving some money to travel to Salvador.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do we know if any money was taken?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
“Based on a statement given by the accused, we would say $150 was taken.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How did the accused know the victim?
Sgt. Solomon Westby,
Actually we understand they had visited the deceased for maybe three or four times before the incident so he was well known to the deceased.”
Belmopan Police are now trying to determine whether or not Jesus Garcia and others may have also been involved in other murders committed in the surrounding area.
Later on, we’ll tell you about another key arrest by Belmopan Police: this one for the man accused of the 95th and final murder of 2008 which happened in Valley of Peace. We’ll have details of that later on.
